From fruit to milk chocolate, a hard candy shell makes everything better. Use this recipe to create a shiny candy shell to make gifts for friends or a special treat for yourself.
- Bowl large enough to hold the saucepan
- Ice
- Cold water
- Flat baking sheet
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- Medium-sized saucepan
- Stovetop
- Wooden spoon
- Candy thermometer
- Metal skewers
It's Time for the Candy Shell!
Fill the bowl with ice and cold water, leaving a few inches at the top so the saucepan will fit without causing the water to spill over the sides of the bowl.
Grease the flat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine the corn syrup, sugar and water in the saucepan. Place on the stovetop.
Set the heat to medium-high.
Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Leave the pot on medium-high heat, testing the temperature after 10 minutes. The temperature needs to be 300 degrees Fahrenheit. (It may take longer than 10 minutes.)
Once the temperature reaches 300 degrees, remove the pan from the heat, turn off the stovetop and immerse the saucepan in the bowl of cold water. Be sure that no cold water spills into the candy mixture.
The candy will take a moment to stop boiling, so put the items to be dipped on the skewers in the meantime.
Being careful to touch only the top of the skewer, dip the items into the candy. Let any excess coating drip off into the saucepan.
Place the dipped items on the baking sheet and let them sit at room temperature for at least one hour.
- After the items have rested at room temperature for at least one hour, it is a good idea to place them in the refrigerator to ensure the coating does not melt off.
Resources
How Do You Make a Hard Candy Shell?
Writer Bio
Samantha Herman earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from Northern Arizona University in 2005. Her professional writing career started in 2008, when she accepted an internship at "Willamette Week," a local alternative publication. Upon completing her internship, she became employed as a copywriter for an internet media company. In addition to copywriting, she has written articles for PDX Pipeline and eHow.