Description
Homemade red hot cinnamon hard candy delivers classic spicy sweetness with simple ingredients. Crisp candy pieces offer nostalgic flavor that delights with each fiery, crunchy bite you will savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups / 480 ml granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup / 160 ml light corn syrup
- ¾ cup / 180 ml water
- 1 tsp cinnamon oil (or more for extra heat)
- ½ tsp red food coloring (gel or liquid)
- ½ cup / 120 ml powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
Instructions
- Workspace Preparation: Create a pristine work surface by laying parchment paper on a baking sheet or lightly greasing with butter to ensure effortless candy removal.
- Sugar Syrup Formation: Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, positioning over medium heat and gently stirring until sugar dissolves completely.
- Candy Transformation: Discontinue stirring and allow the liquid to reach a vigorous boil, carefully tracking the temperature with a candy thermometer until it precisely hits 300F (hard crack stage), which typically requires 10-15 minutes of consistent heating.
- Flavor Infusion: Remove saucepan from heat and cautiously blend cinnamon oil and red food coloring, being mindful of the intense cinnamon aroma and potential sensory impact.
- Candy Casting: Promptly pour the molten mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading evenly to create a smooth, glossy surface.
- Cooling and Crystallization: Let the candy rest undisturbed for 30 minutes, allowing it to cool and solidify into a brittle, glass-like texture.
- Fragmentation and Finishing: Shatter the hardened candy into irregular pieces using a mallet or sharp knife, optionally dusting with powdered sugar to prevent sticking and enhance visual appeal.
Notes
- Prevent Sugar Crystallization: Avoid stirring once sugar dissolves to stop unwanted crystal formation that can make candy grainy.
- Control Temperature Precisely: Use a calibrated candy thermometer and watch carefully, as even a few degrees can drastically change candy texture and consistency.
- Handle Cinnamon Oil Safely: Wear protective eyewear and work in a well-ventilated area to minimize irritation from potent cinnamon essence.
- Break Carefully for Perfect Pieces: Use a clean, sharp knife or mallet with controlled pressure to create uniform candy fragments without shattering completely.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 111
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg