Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp. red gel food coloring
- baking spray
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon extract (optional)
- 1/4 cup demerara sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp. pumpkin spice (optional)
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
- parchment paper
- candy thermometer
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan mix together sugar, water, corn syrup, food coloring and extract (if using). The mixture will be bright red.
- Set up your candy thermometer so that the tip is in the mixture and is not touching the bottom of the pot. Put it over high heat and bring it to a boil. Leave it bubbling on high until it gets to be between 300ºF and 310ºF. It will take around 20 minutes but keep your eye on it. It gets really fast at the end.
- While the sugar mixture is coming to temperature, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray it with baking spray. Mix together the demerara sugar and pumpkin spice (you can leave out the pumpkin spice if you want. What’s crucial for the pretty sparkly effect is the sugar). Sprinkle the sugar mixture onto your prepared pan.
- When your candy mixture is at 310ºF, take it of the heat. Pour it onto your prepared baking pan. Be careful because that sugar syrup is very hot. It will cool and harden within a few minutes. If you want, after it has cooled for a few seconds, sprinkle with sugar mixture at the edges of the pan that didn’t get coated in candy already. Peel off the parchment if it stuck at all (it shouldn’t have) and break it into pieces using your hands.