Homemade Candy Recipes: 30+ recipes from chocolate to hard candy! (2024)

FAQs

How long does homemade hard candy last? ›

Hard candies can last up to one year if they're stored properly. Keep it in a cool, dry place away from humidity and heat. The coating of powdered sugar at the end of the recipe helps to keep hard candies from absorbing moisture from the air.

In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture. If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

Continue boiling, uncovered, not stirring the mixture but shaking the saucepan occasionally to distribute the heat as the mixture turns amber in about 9 minutes, then darker amber as it registers 305 degrees on the thermometer (hard-crack stage ), about 3 minutes longer.

In candy making, it's used to add sourness, similar to the way vinegar adds tang to salad dressings. The strength of citric acid is notable, so a little goes a long way. For candy making, it's available in a powdered form, which is what you'll be using to make your sour candies.

Adding cream of tartar when you're making candy helps prevent the creation of sugar crystals. That's why lots of icing, syrup or candy recipes call for it: it makes it so the end product doesn't have large crunchy sugar capsules.

For storage, keep hard candy at room temperature, in a dry place – never in the refrigerator. Properly kept, candy should last for weeks.

Provides Smooth Texture: Corn syrup helps to create a smooth and glossy texture in candies, ensuring that they are not grainy or gritty.

Quickly pour the syrup into lightly oiled molds or on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and let harden. To prevent the candy from sticking, dust finished pieces with powdered sugar.

If the candy cools too quickly, set it on a saucepan over hot water to soften it, but if it gets sticky, return at once to the work counter. Toss in a small amount of powdered sugar to keep from sticking together.

Without stirring, heat to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from the heat and stir in flavored extract and food coloring. Pour onto the prepared cookie sheet. Dust top with confectioners' sugar.

How do you know when hard candy is ready? ›

If the candy forms thick threads when it drips from the spoon, it is in the hard ball stage or 250°—265°F. If you gather the candy mixture into a ball it will be a hard ball. Divinity or rock candy is typically cooked to this stage.

6. Hard-crack stage (300 degrees Fahrenheit and above): A small amount of syrup added to cold water makes a loud cracking noise and separates into brittle threads. The hard-crack stage is for toffee and hard candies like lollipops. Above 330 degrees Fahrenheit, the sugar begins to caramelize and brown.

Consuming large amounts of high-fat, high-sugar candy can also lead to weight gain and the development of conditions like obesity and Type 2 diabetes over time. Furthermore, the bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar, leading to tooth decay and cavities if oral hygiene is neglected after candy consumption.

Citric acid may be good for you, but in higher amounts may cause damage to your tooth enamel, digestive issues, allergic reactions, and interactions with medications. Most people do not need to supplement citric acid, though. Citric acid is a weak organic acid found in many foods.

Hard candy - Hard candies can last up to a year when stored at room temperature or in a cool, dry location. Jellied candies - If the packaging has been opened, soft candies should be stored away from heat and light at room temperature (about 70 degrees). Stored in this manner, the candy should last 6-9 months.

Avoid Moisture Mixes.

Storing these sweets in the same container will cause the harder candies to become sticky. To make sure that hard candies stay hard, sprinkle with finely ground sugar and store in an airtight jar.

Sugar confectioneries include hard candies, toffee, caramel, fondants, creams, and pastes. Hard candies and toffee do not spoil due to their low aw. The rest of the products may spoil by osmophilic/xerophilic yeasts and molds.

Homemade caramel typically lasts about 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.