Candy Coal

Total Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon black food coloring, gel-paste
• 5 teaspoons peppermint extract or 5 teaspoons cinnamon extract or 5 teaspoons anise extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Recipe

• 1 line an 8-inch square baking pan with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to overhang the sides by about 2 inches. set aside.
• 2 bring sugar, corn syrup and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. stir to dissolve sugar, and wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipping inwater to prevent crystals from forming.
• 3 once mixture comes to a boil and all the sugar has dissolved, clip a candy thermometer to pan, and raise heat to high. continue cooking without stirring until mixture registers 300 fahrenheit (hard crack stage). remove from heat.
• 4 carefully add food coloring, extract and baking soda; stir slowly with a clean wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and mixture no longer bubbles, about 2 minutes.
• 5 pour into prepared pan, and let cool completely.
• 6 lift foil to remove candy from pan, and transfer candy to a large plastic bag. use a kitchen mallet or hammer break candy into pieces.