Rock Candy

What is rock candy? A type of confectionery composed of large sugar crystals is word as Rock candy, also called as rock sugar. How to make rock candy? It is commonly obtained by allowing the supersaturated solution of sugar and water to crystallize on a surface suitable for crystal nucleation. Rock candy recipe involves boil water as to increase the solubility of water and sugar, in order to get a supersaturated solution. The crystals are obtained within few days and some time food color is added as to form a colored candy. Making rock candy doesn’t involve any artificial flavor so it can easily be gathered in our kitchen. Seaside rock is famous in Britain which is more similar to candy cane rather then rock candy.

Rock candy recipes include many other ingredients like Spic, cinnamon, lemon, orange, anise, and flavored oil to get hard candy which can be wrapping in decorative bags for perfect stocking stuffers.

Hard rock candy recipe includes same ingredients but basic ingredients which are in use since years are as follows

1. 1 cup confectioners' sugar
2. 3 3/4 cups white sugar
3. 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
4. 1 cup water
5. 2 teaspoons cinnamon oil
6. 1 teaspoon red food coloring

Direction For Hard Rock Candy:

1. Revolve The Ends Of Two 16 Inch Square Pieces Of Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil. Spray The Foil Very Generously With Confectioners' Sugar.
2. In A Large Heavy Saucepan, Combine The White Sugar, Corn Syrup, And Water. Heat Over Medium-High Heat, Stirring Constantly Until Sugar Dissolves. Stop Moving, And Boil Until A Candy Thermometer Reads 300 To 310 Degrees F (149 To 154 Degrees C). Remove From Heat.
3. Stir In The Cinnamon Oil And Food Coloring. Pour Onto The Prepared Foil, And Allow Cooling And Hardening. Crack Into Pieces, And Store In An Airtight Container.

Cuisine Uses Of Rock Candy:

1. Rock candy is the specialty of the Chinese cuisines in which they are used in different food items. They are used in different dry foods also in order to give them a sweet taste. These rock candies are very much famous among the Chinese kids.
2. Rock candy is also used in Mexico where it is gifted on children days to children and also on the child labor day in order to celebrate these days. These are commonly available in the Mexico and are used in Mexican sweet dishes.
3. Rock candy is also named as Mishri in south East Asian countries where it is used in dry nuts or used alone in eating.

Many households are fed up as their recipe for rock candy didn’t give them results as required either the candy obtained a semi-soft shaped or get so hard that it remains no more edible. All depend how you make rock candy. Sometime excess of water makes less crystal and some time you place candy in open air and humidity didn’t allow the crystals to settle perfectly. Most of the consumers make rock candy by using less quantity of water as to make the candy a perfect one. This makes the candy too hard that it didn’t remain edible. What is necessary for crystal rock candy recipe is the ratio between the water and sugar. Saturated solution will not solve your problem. You need a supersaturated solution of water and sugar as recipe for rock candy, the consistency of the mixture during boiling must be too thick to get enough hard crystals for candy formation. Then the process doesn’t stop here, it took minimum 7 days to settle the crystals and it must be kept in a air tight jar.