Recipe Talk

Hard Candy Teaspoons
as seen on
Discovery Channel's "Home Matters" Show

As shown on Home Matters, you can create "spoons" of flavored hard candy to stir a hot beverage with. When you stir a hot beverage with a candy spoon, you add both sugar and flavor to your drink. The candied spoons can also be used as a sucker!

There are two ways to make a hard candy spoon. The first step of both methods is to make hard candy following either the stove-top or microwave instructions listed below. While the microwave recipe is a great short-cut, the stove-top method gives the most fool-proof results. However, either method can be used. The second step (after the sugar mixture has been cooked to 300 degrees and the coloring and flavoring is added) is to pour the liquid candy into a spoon mold.

Please note that the stove-top method will result in a larger batch of candy than the microwave recipe. The microwave recipe will be enough to fill approximately 3-4 teaspoon molds, and the stove-top will fill 6-8 molds. Any excess syrup can be poured onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and broken into pieces to make cut-glass candy. Lightly dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Using LorAnn's Hard Candy Spoon Mold: LorAnn's hard candy spoon mold is actually a lollipop mold shaped like a the end of a spoon. However, in place of a traditional lollipop stick you use a wooden craft stick. The mold is designed to hold the wooden craft stick in place. (be sure to lightly spray your mold with a non-flavored cooking spray or oil)

Stove-Top Hard Candy
(Using 1-dram (.125oz) Recipe)

Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
1 dram LorAnn flavoring oil (1tsp.) (or as desired)
LorAnn liquid food coloring (as desired)
LorAnn hard candy teaspoon molds
Craft Sticks

Directions
In a 2-quart kettle or large saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a boil. DO NOT stir mixture while it is cooking. When temperature of syrup reaches 260 F, add color. Do not stir; boiling action will incorporate color into syrup.

While candy is cooking, prepare molds by lightly spaying with cooking spray (we recommend PAM), and inserting craft sticks into depression.

Remove from heat precisely at 300degrees F (temperature will continue rising), or until drops of syrup form hard, brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action has ceased, add flavor and stir. USE CAUTION WHEN ADDING FLAVORING TO AVOID RISING STEAM.

Pour syrup into hard candy spoon molds,

Cool completely - DO NOT place in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container.

Microwave Hard Candy

Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 dram LorAnn flavoring (1/2 tsp.) (as desired)
LorAnn liquid food coloring (as desired)
LorAnn hard candy teaspoon mold
Craft Sticks

Directions
Prepare molds by lightly spaying with cooking spray (we recommend PAM), and inserting craft sticks into depression.

Thoroughly mix sugar and light corn syrup in a 4-cup microwave-safe glass measure. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes and 15 seconds.*

Remove from the microwave and carefully remove plastic wrap. Quickly stir the sugar mixture and then cover with a NEW sheet of plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

Remove from microwave, (syrup should be light yellow in color) carefully remove plastic wrap and stir. After boiling has ceased, stir in coloring and then flavoring.

Pour syrup quickly, but carefully into the waiting molds.

Cool completely - DO NOT place in the refrigerator. Store in airtight containers.

*Please Note: All microwaves are not created equal. This recipe is designed to work in a standard household microwave with a power rating between 600-700 watts. Mini-microwaves and/or commercial microwaves are not recommended. If your candy mixture remains sticky and tacky, increase cooking time. If your sugar mixture turns dark and caramelized, start over and reduce cooking time.

Using a standard metal spoon: If you don't want to use a mold, you can always use a metal spoon. After you cook the sugar mixture to the appropriate temperatures, dip the end of metal spoon into the flavored candy syrup to coat the end of the spoon. Place the spoon on a cookie sheet (or tin-foil) to cool completely. As the candy syrup begins to cool, it also hardens...so don't wait too long to dip your spoons.

In both cases, never use plastic spoons as they will MELT!

Hard Candy Helpful Hints:

Be sure to lightly spray molds with a non-stick cooking spray and only use molds appropriate for the high temperatures of hard candy.

Lorann flavorings are highly concentrated so you may want to vary the amount of flavoring added based on personal preferences. Cinnamon may be too hot for some people, so you may want to cut back a bit.

High Humidity can cause hard candy to be sticky. If higher humidity cannot be avoided, make sure the air conditioning is turned on and/or a fan is utilized over the cooking area.

Wipe up spilled flavoring oils quickly, as prolonged contact with plastic and counter tops may cause damage. Use only metal measuring spoons.

For easy clean-up, simply soak all pans, molds and utensils in hot water. Hardened sugar syrup will dissolve away.

CAUTION:
This project requires the use of a stove and a HOT sugar syrup. Please use caution to avoid rising steam and the hot syrup mixture. It is not advisable to involve children in the cooking stages.

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Double-Pour Lollipops The lollipops pictured are "Hot Chocolate" flavored - a combination of chocolate flavored candy poured on top of marshmallow flavored candy. Create your own combinations such as "Strawberry Cheesecake" (strawberry flavored candy & cheesecake flavored candy) or "Tangerine Cream" (tangerine flavor & Bavarian cream flavor)

Before you begin, we recommend that you read our section on candymaking tips.

The Microwave Hard Candy Recipe can also be used for these lollipops.

For each layer, you will need the following amount of ingredients:

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
1 dram LorAnn flavoring oil (1tsp.*) (or as desired)
LorAnn liquid food coloring (as desired)
Sucker bags (optional)
Twist ties (optional)

use of a candy thermometer is recommended

*Please note that our Cinnamon, Clove and Peppermint flavors are particularly potent. You may wish to reduce the amount used for these flavors.

Directions:
Have all ingredients and tools assembled and within easy reach of the stove. Lightly spray several molds with cooking spray (we recommend PAM) and insert sucker sticks. For Nordic-Ware molds, follow directions for filling.

In a 2-quart kettle or large saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Insert candy thermometer if using, making certain it does not touch the bottom of the pan. Bring mixture to a boil, without stirring. Early in the cooking process, you can "wash down" any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Continue to cook the syrup until the temperature reaches 260 F; add color. Do not stir; boiling action will incorporate color into syrup.

Remove from heat precisely at 300 F (temperature will continue rising), or until drops of syrup form hard, brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action has ceased, add flavor and stir. USE CAUTION WHEN ADDING FLAVORING TO AVOID RISING STEAM.

Pour syrup into prepared molds filling only 1/2 way.

Prepare second batch of candy with another flavor and color. Pour this on top of the first layer of hardened candy until the mold is completely filled. Cool completely. Do not refrigerate.