Making Rock Candy

What is rock candy exactly? In a nutshell, rock candy is the product resulting from the recrystallization of pure cane sugar. It is the purest form of sugar as all impurities have been excluded during the process as the large crystals form. This crystallization is specific to sugar chemistry and cannot be replicated with the various sugar free substitutes available. It is PURE sugar!

What makes these crystals grow? The science behind it all!

Two different events need to occur before the crystals will grow. First of all, you need to create a supersaturated solution by heating a saturated sugar solution and then allowing it to cool. That’s a mouthful, huh?

Let me explain. A saturated sugar solution is one where no more sugar can be dissolved at a particular temperature. You turn saturated sugar solution into a supersaturated sugar solution by heating it and turning it into a solution which is unstable and can hold no more sugar and still stay in liquid form. This will make the sugar come out of the solution, turning into crystals. This is called precipitate.

The other event that has to take place is evaporation. Over time, the water in the supersaturated solution will evaporate slowly. As the water evaporates, the solutions becomes more saturated, sugar molecules will come out of the solution and attach to the sugar crystals on the string or skewer you have prepared. On this string or skewer, your rock crystal will slowly start to grow molecule by molecule.

When all is said and done, your finished treat will have about a quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) molecules!

A little bit about the history of rock candy.

For hundreds of years, rock candy has been assigned therapeutic qualities. In fact, rock candy was used only as medicine up until the middle of the 18th century. At this point people started enjoying sugar as a treat unto itself.

Rock candy has a rich and varied history and has often been referenced in literature. Persian poet Jalal-ad-Din Rumi who lived in 13th century Turkey frequently mentioned sugar in his poems. And Shakespeare referred to sugar candy in Henry IV as a therapeutic treatment for the throat for long-winded speakers. And yet another English reference in 1584 summed up the virtues of rock candy where it is quoted “White sugar is not so good for phlegume, as that which is called Sugar Candie.”

In our world today, rock candy is used as a yummy treat enjoyed by kids and grown-ups alike, and also as an elegant alternative to ordinary table sugar for coffee and tea in higher end restaurants and hotels.

Making rock candy is simple, however, it is a process and takes about a week to complete. You will need the following ingredients to make a batch:

2 cups water

4 cups granulated sugar

A glass jar

skewer (shish kabob sticks work well) or heavy string

1/2–1 tsp flavoring oil (optional)

food coloring (optional)

Before starting you need to prepare your materials. Wash the glass jar thoroughly with hot soapy water. Make sure the water runs clean.

Cut a length of thick cotton string a few inches longer than the height of the jar. Tape the string to a pencil and place this across the mouth of the jar. Wind the thread up around the pencil until the string is hanging about an inch from the bottom of the jar. You can attach a paper clip to the bottom of the string to weight it.

Alternatively, if you prefer your rock crystal on a stick, use a wooden skewer with clothespins attached and balanced across the mouth of the jar to hold it about an inch from the bottom of the jar.

Dampen the thread or skewer with water and roll it in granulated sugar. This will give the crystals something to attach to as they start forming during evaporation. Set the thread or skewer aside to dry while you make the sugar syrup.

Put the two cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Start adding the sugar, one cup at a time, constantly stirring. You will notice that as you add more and more sugar, it takes it longer and longer to dissolve. You are turning it into a supersaturated solution!

Continue stirring until all of the sugar is dissolved in the boiling water. Remove the pan from the stove and set it aside.

If you want to add color or flavoring, you need to do it at this time. There are a number of candy sites online where you can order all sorts of different flavors. Only add about a teaspoon as these oils are very powerful. If you wish to add color, add a few drops of food coloring at this point and stir making sure the color is even.

Allow the sugar mixture to cool for about ten minutes and then pour it into your prepared, clean, dry jar. Then lower the string or skewer into the mixture until it hands about one inch from the bottom.

Put your jar in a cool place away from bright lights and humidity where it can remain undisturbed. Loosely cover the top with plastic wrap or a paper towel.

You should be able to see crystals forming fairly rapidly within a few hours. If you notice no change within 24 hours, you may need to boil the sugar mixture again and dissolve another cup of sugar into it and start the process again.

Now you need to be patient and let the crystal grow. It is up to you how big you want it to be, but you don’t want it to get to big or it will start to grow to the sides of the jar. A good rule of thumb, is about seven days.

Once your rock crystal is the size you want, remove it and allow it to dry for a few minutes and then enjoy! It can also be wrapped in plastic wrap or put in a baggie to enjoy later!

Originally published at https://vocal.media.