Butterscotch Candy

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put sugar, corn syrup, water and salt into saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat and cook until thermometer registers 250 degrees F, firm ball stage. Add butter; cook with occasional stirring until thermometer registers 300 degrees F (brittle stage). Remove from stove; add vanilla extract; pour into buttered shallow pan, making a layer 1/4 inch deep. While warm, crease into squares with a blunt knife. When cold, break into pieces.

Candy Canes

6 cups granulated sugar
3 cups cold water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Peppermint flavoring oil
Food coloring

Combine sugar, water, corn syrup and salt in a large heavy pan. Heat and stir until sugar crystals are dissolved, then stop stirring. Bring to a rolling boil and wash down the crystals, then add the cream of tartar. Boil rapidly to the hard crack stage on a candy thermometer.

Pour two-thirds of the syrup out quickly onto a slab or greased flat pan. Pour the rest into a buttered glass pie pan, and do not move until partly set. Turn the edges in on each portion and add flavoring to each – about 6 drops of oil to the large portion and 3 to the small. Add food coloring to the small dish. As soon as possible, start to pull the portion in the large container until pearly-colored. (It will be very hot – butter your hands and set it down when it gets too hot!) Form it into a ball.

Meanwhile gather up the colored portion and form it into a rope and wrap it around the ball. With one person on each end, start to stretch and twist the ball in opposite directions to form a long rope with the traditional stripe. Cut into lengths as necessary. When the desired diameter is achieved, cut and form into canes (roll it on the board to get it smooth). If it gets too cold to work with, put on a wooden breadboard in a warm oven to soften.

Toy Candies

2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2/3 cup water
Few drops food coloring
1 teaspoon oil of peppermint or spearmint extract (optional)

Oil molds with olive or vegetable oil. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, vinegar, and water together in a deep saucepan. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat. Do not stir the mixture during cooking. Place a candy thermometer in the syrup and boil until it reaches 290 degrees F.

Add the food coloring and any flavoring. Remove from heat and pour into molds. Do not scrape the sides of the pan or you will get sugar crystals in the candies. If you pour it into flat pans, score it before it cools or break into pieces after it is dry. Store in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

Makes about 1 1/2 pounds.

Broken Glass Candy

Confectioners’ sugar
3 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups light Karo? syrup
1 cup water
Food coloring
1 teaspoon oil flavoring (available at pharmacy
    in flavors such as cinnamon, anise,
    wintergreen, spearmint, lime)

Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar on 2 (15 x 11-inch) cookie sheets.

Combine sugar, Karo? syrup and water in heavy saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup reaches 290 degrees F on candy thermometer.

Remove from heat and add food coloring to desired intensity and the desired oil flavoring. Pour onto cookie sheets, cool and break into small pieces.

Makes 2 1/4 pounds.

Red Rock Candy

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red cinnamon candies
1 teaspoon butter or margarine

Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes or until mixture reaches soft ball stage or 234 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Add cinnamon candies; cook, stirring constantly, to hard crack stage or to 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Remove from heat; stir in butter. Quickly pour into a buttered 13 x 9-inch pan. Cool.

To serve, break into small pieces.

Yields 1 1/2 pounds.

Anise Hard Candy

1 1/2 teaspoons butter, softened (NO SUBSTITUTES)
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon anise extract
Red food coloring
2 to 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan with 1 1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside.

In a large heavy saucepan, combine water, corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes to dissolve any sugar crystals. Uncover; cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300 degrees F (hard crack stage).

Remove from heat; stir in anise extract and food coloring (keep face away from mixture as odor is very strong). Pour into prepared pan. Using a sharp knife, score into 3/4-inch squares. Cool.

Separate into squares, using a sharp knife, if necessary. Place confectioners’ sugar in a baking pan; add candy and roll until coated. Brush off excess sugar with a pastry brush. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Yields about 8 dozen (1 pound).

White Lime Fudge

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup milk
Grated peel of 1 lime
3/4 cup chopped pecans, chopped

Melt butter in medium saucepan; stir in sugar and milk until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Cover; boil 1 minute to dissolve sugar off sides of pan. Set candy thermometer in pan and cook syrup gently without stirring to 236 degrees F (soft-ball stage). Cool to 110 – 120 degrees F (warm), about 45 minutes.

Stir in lime peel and pecans. Beat vigorously until mixture just starts to lose its gloss. Pour immediately into well-greased 8-inch square pan.

Cool; cut into squares. Store in plastic bags or airtight container. Will keep about 3 weeks.

Makes about 1 pound.