When making hard rock candy, have you ever...?

Question

When making the hard rock candy that you pour out onto powdered sugared tinfoil, has anyone ever used koolaid packages for fun flavors instead of the flavored oils? Would this even work? My twin sons both need to make some thing for market days at school and they want to make this.

Answer 1

Here is a recipe and some reviews. The consenses seems mixed. One woman said that it was bitter but others said that it turned out perfectly. They seem to have the best result by using 2 packets.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stained-Glass-Candy-I/Detail.aspx
I found this web-site that might help you.
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Old-Fashioned-Hard-Candy
Old Fashioned Hard candy, or Rock Candy, is a surprisingly easy and tasty treat you can make with very few, cheap ingredients! Note: This is not the popular sugar crystals on a stick.

Steps
Pour 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup Light Corn Syrup (Karo preferably), and 3/4 cup hot water in a small saucepan. If you're using a thermometer, (Which is highly recommended) make sure that the pan is small enough for the bulb to be submerged in the solution.
Heat lightly and stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely saturated (clear) and the mixture smooths.
Bring to a boil. Stop stirring. You must not stir, as the solution will "sugar," which means to cloud up and become gritty.
Raise the temperature to high as it boils.
Watch your thermometer until the temperature is at exactly 310 degrees.
Wait for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Wait until the mixture turns amber color or until the whole pot is covered in small bubbles.
Remove from heat and submerge pot into cold water in a sink.
If you don't have a thermometer, use a spoon to drop tiny amounts of molten sugar into ice water every few minutes. When the drops form hard threads or balls that you can bend and is not sticky, remove from heat.
After the sugar stops boiling (but is still very hot) add a dram of flavoring oil and several drops of your choice of food coloring or Kool Aid . Mix quickly.
Pour the molten sugar onto a greased cookie sheet. Allow it to cool. Spread the mixture around the sheet.
After the sheet cools (30 minutes - an hour), break up the candy into several pieces and dust with powdered sugar.



Tips
This candy is best stored in paper bags or metal tins for a fun snack or a quick sugar craving.
Mix food coloring to make fun shades. Try adding the color after stirring in flavor and stir lightly for a swirled effect.
Use a candy thermometer, because your candy is likely to "sugar" if you use conventional methods. Or use ice water and keep dropping melted sugar in until it hards and is not sticky.
After you remove the sugar from heat, the temperature will continue rising. Submerge in icy water. You may remove the thermometer, and stir flavor in quickly. Put on cookie sheet or candy molds.
Mix flavors or Kool Aid or pour over dried fruit for an added texture.
Try pouring into candy molds or mini muffin pans instead for a consistent shape.

Here is a lollipop recipe from the food network. You can probably follow it and simply add the two packets of kool-aid.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_25258,00.html?rsrc=search
36 lollipop sticks
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon flavored extract, optional
Special equipment: 2 lollipop molds and lollipop sticks (available at kitchen specialty and craft stores)


Arrange the lollipop sticks in the lollipop molds and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to high and, without stirring, cook until the sugar is amber or until a candy thermometer reads between 300 to 310 degrees F (hard-ball stage), about 10 minutes (see Cook's Note*). Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully stir in the flavored extract.

Work quickly, drop 1 teaspoon of the hot mixture into each lollipop mold. Reheat the mixture briefly over low heat if it starts to thicken. Let the lollipops cool for at least 15 minutes. Remove from molds and store in airtight containers or wrap individually.

*Cook's Note: To determine hard-ball stage without a candy thermometer, remove the pot from the heat and dip the bottom of the pot in water to stop the mixture from cooking further. Carefully spoon a drop of the hot syrup mixture into ice-cold water. Remove the drop from the water after 5 seconds; when bent, it should snap easily and shouldn't be sticky to the touch. The cooled drop should have a yellowish tinge.

Here is a candy using kool-aid. It might be fun
http://www.kraftfoods.com/recipes/CookiesCandyOtherDesserts/OtherCandies/Cut-OutCandy.html

This also looks like fun
Gummi Bears
Ingredients


3 pkgs. of unflavored gelatin (packages that come in a box each package represents about 3/4 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons flavored jello
1 tablespoon Kool-Aid (flavor to match jello)
1/2 cup iced water
Candy molds

Directions

1. In 1/2 cup of icy cold water, slowly add gelatin , kool aid and jello. Mix well. Allow to stand until mixture looks slushy.

2. Microwave on high for 1 minute and 15 seconds (or just until top foams). With a large eyedropper or turkey baster fill candy molds. Put molds in freezer for 10 minutes.

3. Remove from freezer, remove candy by bending mold and teasing candy away from sides. Store in airtight containers or Ziplock bag.

4. Recipe makes enough to fill 2 and 1/2 molds that make 16-candies per mold.

This was fun... I am going to try out all of these recipes with my kids. I hope you have great success!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Things You'll Need Water Sugar Clean glass or jar Pencil or skewer stick Cotton string or twine Pot to boil water Spoon (for stirring) Start a pot of water boiling on the stove. Tie a piece of string around the middle of the pencil/stick/butter knife. The string should be long enough so that when the pencil is placed over the top of the glass, the string will come up just short of the bottom. Wet the string with a little water and roll it in the sugar. Put the paper clip on the end of the string to act as a weight and help the string stay straight. Lay the stick over the top of the glass jar so that the string hangs down inside the jar, but not touching the bottom of the jar. When the water has started boiling, remove it from the heat and let the water settle. Stir in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue adding sugar until it starts collecting at the bottom of the pot and won't dissolve even when you stir. If you want to add flavoring or color, stir it in now. Now pour the hot mixture into the jar. Pour the sugar solution into the glass until it is about 1" from the top. Place the pencil over the jar and allow the string to dangle into the solution. Don't let the string settle on the bottom or sides of the glass. Place the glass somewhere that it can sit for a while undisturbed (but do not refrigerate it). After a day or so, you should be seeing crystal growth on the string. Leave the string in the solution until the crystals are big enough for you or have completely stopped growing. Remove the string from the glass and let dry. Eat and enjoy! =)

Answer 3

Make Over 200 Juicy, Mouth-Watering Paleo Recipes You've NEVER Seen or Tasted Before?

Answer 4

Hey, that really sounds like fun! Thanks, I'll try it!

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