Description
This Cinnamon Rock Candy recipe offers a sweet and spicy twist on traditional rock candy. Infused with aromatic cinnamon oil and tinted with red food coloring, it creates visually striking, crunchy crystals perfect for gifting or snacking. Made by dissolving sugar and corn syrup to the hard crack stage and then cooling in a buttered pan, this homemade candy is dusted with powdered sugar for a delightful finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Liquid Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
- 1 tsp red food coloring
- 1-2 tsp cinnamon oil (adjust for spice level)
Dry Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Other
- Butter for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Butter a 15x10x1-inch sheet cake pan thoroughly, line it with parchment paper, and then butter the parchment paper as well to ensure easy removal of the candy later.
- Make the Candy Base: In a large saucepan, combine water, sugar, light corn syrup, and red food coloring. Stir over medium-high heat until the sugar starts to dissolve completely.
- Heat to Hard Crack Stage: Attach a candy thermometer to the saucepan. Allow the mixture to boil, monitoring the temperature closely, until it reaches 300°F (hard crack stage), approximately 20 minutes. If the mixture bubbles high near the pan’s edge, briefly remove from heat to prevent overflow.
- Add Cinnamon: Once the mixture hits 300°F, remove the pan from heat and carefully stir in the cinnamon oil; be cautious as the oil is very strong. Immediately pour the hot mixture into the prepared pan and allow it to cool undisturbed for at least 4 hours.
- Break and Dust: After the candy has fully cooled and hardened, dust the surface with powdered sugar. Flip the candy out onto a cutting board, peel off the parchment paper, and use a knife to break it into bite-sized pieces. Optionally, dust the pieces with more powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
- Store: Store the cinnamon rock candy pieces in an airtight container to keep them fresh and crunchy for longer.
Notes
- Be careful when working with hot sugar syrup as it can cause severe burns.
- The intensity of cinnamon flavor can be adjusted by varying the amount of cinnamon oil.
- Ensure the candy thermometer is properly calibrated for accurate temperature reading.
- You can use gloves when handling the candy to avoid sticky fingers.
- Store in a cool, dry place to prevent the candy from becoming sticky or melting.
