A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity Our Favorite Recipes Hard Tack Candy

Just thought I'd drag this over from Willy World. It's that time of the year! I don't think I'll be making it with my friend this year...she's sooo busy. But someone might want to make it, so here you go.

HARD TACK CANDY

Ingredients:
2 c Sugar
3/4 c Corn syrup
1 c Water
3/4 ts Food coloring
3/4 ts Desired flavored oil extract
Powdered sugar to dust over the candy....

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Instructions:
Mix sugar, syrup and water in saucepan.
Stir until sugar is dissolved; continue to cook to 300-degrees. You'll need to buy a candy thermometer but they don't cost that much.
Remove from heat.
Add coloring and flavoring; stir.
Pour into 8 x 11-inch buttered pan. Make sure it's buttered pretty good.
Cut into squares as candy begins to set.
You can sprinkle with powdered sugar, it helps the pieces not stick together...

One tip: When we make it we bought a cheap pot to make it in.....we were scared of ruining a good one.....think we bought one of those dollar type stores for 4 or 5 bucks.

This sounds like it could be fun to make, Loz. I wonder if Jonni would like to make some.

It is pretty easy actually. And good. We always make it and then buy the cheap $1 christmas mugs and some pretty colored Saran Wrap and wrapped it up. Made for some cute, cheap gifts.

sounds interesting! so DOES it stick to the pot?

I have found any hard candy is easy to soak from the cookware with hot water. Sugar dissolves.
And these days I use the aluminum foil that has non-stick for everything like lining the pan where the candy cools. The stuff works great.
I also use parchment paper for lining my cookie sheet and things. It is a great help and less clean up. I actually reuse the parchment for large batches.

Actually it didn't stick to our nonstick pan....we bought the cheapo one from the Dollar General when we first made it because we weren't sure if it would ruin one of her pans or not....

Just be careful with the flavors.....my friend Jennifer accidentally put way too much Cinnamon in when we made that batch and it about singed my nose hair.

good idea about lining the pot with aluminum foil. I would have never thought of that.
this sounds like a fun thing for the kids to do. we're gonna try it!

I did not mean to line the cooking pan with foil. That would be a royal mess. But the pan that you use to cool the candy in can be lined with the non-stick aluminum foil instead of or with butter.

aaawwww...........I got to thinking about the foil inside the cooking pan after I posted. I didn't think it sounded as great as it did at first. he he.
So, if I buy a whole bottle (or whatever) of this flavored oil....what do I do with the rest of it? is it used only for candy, or could you use it in other things...pancakes, muffins?

Well I believe it's only for the candy....I've never heard of another use for it....but it doesn't cost much for each bottle. And the bottles aren't very big.

Oil extracts can be good in making things smell good. Like those cinnamon pinecones. Or even in candles. I have been known to use a bit in my vacuum cleaner to smell up the air while I labor. For most non food stuff, I use essential oils (<---not for cooking) but the oil extracts work in a pinch too. They can also be stored for a long time. I have had one bottle of rum extract for years.

Cricket the size of the little bottles of oil are about 1/2 Oz Very very small bottles, I made that candy a couple of years ago,, Hot cinn,, green apple, cherry, and Lemon,,,,,
I waited to long to try to cut it, I mean as soon as it is poured out of the pan be ready to start cutting it hardens quick once it is removed from the heat,,,,, I had to break mine up with a meat tenderizer,, I had Bit of candy flying everywhere, Next time if I have to use something to break it up I'll use a huge ziplock bag to break in the large pieces first!
I still have oil flavors left over,, it doesn't take much probably why they sale it in small bottles Kinda the size of food coloring bottles,,

Look at all these oil flavors I found,,,,,

Almond Flavor Oil

Amaretto Flavor Oil

Apple Flavor Oil

Apple Pie Flavor Oil
Apricot Flavor Oil

Bailey's Irish Flavor Oil

Banana Flavor Oil

Banana Cream Flavor Oil
Banana Nut Bread

Banana's Foster Flavor Oil

Brown Sugar Flavor Oil

Black Cherry Flavor Oil
Berry, Triple Flavor Oil

Blueberry Flavor Oil

Bourbon Flavor Oil

Brown Sugar Flavor Oil
Bubble Gum Flavor Oil

Butter Cream Flavor Oil

Butter Pecan Flavor Oil

Butter Rum Flavor Oil
Butterscotch Flavor Oil

Candy Apple Flavor Oil

Caramel Flavor Oil

Caramel Latte' Flavor Oil
Carrot Cake Flavor

Chai Flavor Oil

Champagne & Strawberry

Cherry Flavor Oil
Chocolate Flavor Oil

Chocolate Cream Flavor Oil

Chocolate Mint Flavor Oil B

Chocolate Raspberry Flavor
Cinnamon Flavor Oil B

Coconut Flavor Oil

Cool Berry Flavor Oil

Cotton Candy Flavor Oil B
Cranberry Flavor Oil

Crème Brule Flavor Oil

Crème DeMenthe Flavor Oil

Double Mint Flavor Oil B
Egg Nog Flavor Oil

English Toffee Flavor Oil

Espresso Flavor Oil B

French Vanilla Flavor Oil
German Chocolate Cake

Ginger Flavor Oil

Ginger Peach Flavor Oil

Grape Flavor Oil
Green Tea Flavor Oil

Hazelnut Flavor Oil

Honey Flavor Oil

Irish Cream Flavor Oil
Kona Flavor Oil

Lavender Flavor Oil

Lemon Drops Flavor Oil B

Licorice Flavor Oil
Lime Flavor Oil

Macadamia Nut Flavor Oil

Mandarin Orange Flavor Oil

Mango Flavor Oil
Margarita Flavor Oil B


Marshmallow Flavor Oil

Menthol Flavor Oil

Mocha Flavor Oil
Nectarine Flavor Oil

Nutmeg Flavor Oil

Passion Fruit Flavor Oil

Peach Flavor Oil
Peaches and Cream Flavor

Pear Flavor Oil

Peppermint Flavor Oil

Pineapple Flavor Oil
Pina Colada Flavor Oil

Pink Grapefruit Flavor Oil

Pistachio Flavor Oil

Pomegranate Flavor Oil
Praline Flavor Oil

Pumpkin Pie Flavor Oil

Punch Flavor Oil

Raspberry Flavor Oil B
Root Beer Flavor Oil

rose Flavor Oil

Rum Flavor Oil

Santa's Xmas Flavor Oil
Sour Flavor Oil

Sour, Oil Based Flavor

Spearmint Flavor

Spice Flavor
Strawberry Flavor

Strawberry Lemonade Flavor



Sweet potato Pie Flavor
Tahitian Vanilla

Tangerine

Vanilla

Viennese Flavor Oil
Watermelon Flavor Oil

White Chocolate Flavor Oil

Wild Cherry Flavor Oil

Wintergreen Flavor Oil
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Commonly in Grocery stores, I only have found,, Lemon, hot cinnamon,wintergreen, cherry,, strawberry, and green apple,,

YUMMY flavors! I want Creme Brulee

@ the bourbon flavor though.

holy cow! that's a lot of flavors! I guess you buy these flavored oils at the grocery store by the spices and food coloring, huh?

Actually I found Mine by the chopped nuts,,,,,and marshmellows,,,,,,,

by the baking stuff, then. got it.

i've seen it both places, and in the craft section of walmart where the cake decorating stuff is.

ok, I got all the stuff for the hard tack candy. I really didn't see any flavored oil, so I got bananna extract. is extract the same thing, or at least close enough?

Yes, it is.

cool!