DIY Suckers

When my kids were young, I learned how to make homemade suckers.  My Mom made hardtack when we were kids, and that is just a sucker without a stick.  The kids loved them and I enjoyed making them and I gathered quite a collection of sucker molds.  It has been a while since I made any, until this last Valentines when I made suckers for the grandkids.  My wonderful daughter-in-law was fascinated by the process and I told her that when the time comes, I would give her my sucker mold collection.  The recipe is one that came with some of the molds.  Lots of fun!  Let’s go.

Step 1:

Ingredients and Supplies:
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
¾ cup water
Favoring oil
Candy coloring (Wilton paste works)
2 qt. heavy sauce pan with lid
Candy thermometer
Rubber scraper
Nonstick cooking spray
Sucker molds
Sucker sticks
Parchment paper
Plastic wrap or little sucker bags

Step 2:

Lay out the parchment paper and put the sucker molds, with the sticks on the parchment paper.  Spray the molds with the nonstick cooking spray.

Step 3:

Into the sauce pan, pour the sugar, corn syrup, and water.  Stir lightly. 

Step 4:

Turn the heat on medium high and put the lid on the sauce pan, and bring to a boil, letting it boil for 2 minutes. 

Step 5:

Remove the lid and insert the candy thermometer in to the boiling candy, don’t let it touch the bottom of the pan.  

Step 6:

When the thermometer reaches 285°F, remove from the heat.  The temperature will rise to 300°F and then it will start to cool. 

Step 7:

Once it has dropped to 260°F,

Step 8:

you can add the flavoring and coloring,

Step 9:

stir just a enough to get them mixed.  If you add the flavoring to temperatures above 260°F, the heat will cook out the flavoring.

Step 10:

Pour the candy into the molds.  Let set until completely cool (room temperature). 

Step 11:

Remove from the mold

Step 12:

and wrap in plastic wrap.  I used some ribbon to hold the plastic wrap cover closed.  Done!  These were so good they disappeared very quickly.  Enjoy!

Step 13:

FYI:  Hard Candy molds can be found here: http://www.cybrtrayd.com/products.php?cat=HARD+CANDY+MOLDS&gclid=CJ-W4fTBjrYCFSRxQgodvgkAuA

And here: http://www.kitchen-things.com/hard-candy--sucker-molds.html.  Look for Hard Candy molds, chocolate molds will melt when you pour the hot candy into them.