Mighty M’s Herbal Hard Candy Recipe

Ingredients:
-2 tablespoons- 1/4 cup Mighty Fast Alcohol Based Tincture or desired amount

-1 CUP Organic Sugar

-1/2 CUP Organic Light Corn Syrup

-1/4 CUP Filtered Water

-1 TSP Organic Orange or Lemon Flavoring

-Candy Thermometer

-Medium-sized Stainless Steel Pot with a handle (no nonstick surfaces)

-Silicone Spatula

-Trivet

-Potholder

-Confectioners’ Funnel (for pouring the molten sugary mixture carefully into the molds)

-Hard Candy Molds, enough to hold 40 candies
(silicone molds are preferable for easy candy release, but hard plastic molds if they are designated appropriate for hard candy, are also good)

OPTIONAL: Coconut Oil Cooking Spray, Safety Glasses, Apron, Old Towels

OPTIONAL: Lollipop Sticks which fit into lollipop molds (you can make this recipe as lollipops or as pastilles/hard candy)

Yield: About 40 small quarter-sized candies or lollipops

Preparation:
LET’S GET COOKING!
*make sure to remove the plastic cup inside the herbal infuser prior to using the machine

After infusing alcohol based tincture in the Mighty Fast Herbal Infuser, set aside above amount to cool.

STEP 1: Wash your hands, assemble all ingredients and put on an apron. This might get messy, and getting hard candy off your clothes can be a real drag. Cover all surfaces where you will be pouring the hard candy into the molds with old towels, to make cleanup easier. If you are making lollipops, prepare the molds and insert the sticks into the built-in areas. Put the trivet and the Funnel nearby the molds for later!

STEP 2: Combine the Sugar, Corn Syrup, and Filtered Water in the pot, on MEDIUM HIGH heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved and the “sparkly” appearance is gone, (even though it’s pretty.)

STEP 3: Once the mixture is BOILING and bubbling, carefully insert the candy thermometer and clip it to the side of the pot so that you can closely monitor the temperature. Do NOT stir anymore. This is MIGHTY important!

STEP 4: When your candy thermometer reads 300 degrees (a temperature known as the “hard crack” stage in confectionary terms), IMMEDIATELY remove from the heat, and keep your thermometer in the pot. Place the pot on the trivet away from the stove and make sure the stove is OFF!

STEP 5: WORK QUICKLY from this point on, as the mixture begins to harden in the pot as it cools! Put on your Safety Glasses if you are using them!

STEP 6: When the temperature drops below 300, carefully (and quickly) MIX in the Orange or Lemon Flavoring and the Mighty Fast Tincture with the spatula. (It will sizzle and may splash, don’t get scared. Make sure you are far away from any open flames!!!)

STEP 7: Pour the molten candy mixture into the Confectioners’ Funnel and then fill the candy molds.

STEP 8: Allow your candies to cool completely at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. When they have hardened completely, remove from the molds and store your finished candies in a cool dark place, in an airtight container.

MIGHTY CLEANUP TIPS:

-Use a large soup pot, place your spatula and medium pot inside and fill with water. Bring to a boil on med-low heat and the hardened mess will dissolve for easy cleanup!

-Dip the tip of the candy thermometer in the boiling water periodically to clean it!

-If for some reason you have a hard time removing your candy from the molds, next time prepare them ahead of time with the light cooking spray and they will easily release. It will also be easier to hand-wash your molds when you are finished.