Description
A fiery, festive cinnamon-spiced rock candy—glossy, jewel‑like shards with a sweet, warming crunch.
Ingredients
- 3¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1¼ cups light corn syrup
- 1 tsp red food coloring
- 1–2 tsp cinnamon oil (adjust to taste)
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- Butter (for greasing)
Instructions
- Butter a 15×10×1‑inch sheet cake pan. Line it with parchment paper and butter the parchment too.
- In a large saucepan, combine water, sugar, corn syrup, and red food coloring. Stir over medium‑high heat just until the sugar begins dissolving.
- Clip on a candy thermometer. Boil steadily until the mixture reaches 300 °F (hard‑crack stage)—about 20 minutes. If it foams near the rim, briefly lift from heat to prevent overflow.
- Once at 300 °F, remove from heat. Working in a well‑ventilated space, carefully stir in the cinnamon oil.
- Pour the hot syrup into the prepared pan immediately. Let it cool undisturbed for at least 4 hours until fully hardened.
- When cooled, dust the top with powdered sugar. Flip the slab onto a cutting board, peel off the parchment, and break it into bite‑size shards. Dust with more powdered sugar if desired.
- Transfer the candy to an airtight container. Store at room temperature to keep it crisp and fresh for weeks.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer for precise sugar‑stage monitoring.
- Avoid stirring after boiling starts to prevent crystallization.
- If syrup foams too high, briefly remove from heat to avoid spill‑over.
- Start with 1 tsp cinnamon oil; it’s potent—adjust carefully.
- Greasing both pan and parchment ensures the candy won’t stick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (~10 g)
- Calories: Approximately 40 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
