How to Make Candy Cane Decorations

Homemade candy canes hanging on the tree or filling a candy dish will give your home that old-fashioned holiday feeling.

Ingredients
1 cup of sugar
1 Cup of light corn syrup
1 cup of water
½ tsp peppermint oil
Food coloring

Instructions
STEP 1: Sprinkle a thick coat of powdered sugar on a cookie sheet.
STEP 2: Combine 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup and 1 cup water in a heavy saucepan.
STEP 3: Cook over medium-high heat until soft-crack stage on candy thermometer.
STEP 4: Remove from heat.
STEP 5: Add 1/2 tsp. peppermint oil and 2 or 3 drops of food coloring.
STEP 6: Stir well.
STEP 7: Pour onto cookie sheet in thin strips about 6 to 8 inches long.
STEP 8: Let cool just enough to handle.
STEP 9: Roll into a rope shape.
STEP 10: Gently twist and make a hook on top.
STEP 11: Place on a coated cookie sheet until hard.
STEP 12: Wrap candy canes in holiday plastic wrap and tie with curling ribbon.
STEP 13: Hang in tree or add to a swag or a wreath.

Tips & Warnings

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• Hang in there - the first few may look a little strange, but will taste just as good.
  
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• Work with only one batch of candy at a time. You have a very narrow margin of time before the candy gets too hard to bend or twist.
  
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• Use different flavors for your candy canes.
  
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• Different brands of oil produce different strengths of peppermint flavor. Add or subtract from the above recipe to fit your tastes
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Anther way to do these would be to make a pocket full of homemade peppermint candies for the ballgame, a cool walk or that stuffy nose. Yields 75 to 85 mini peppermints.

Things You'll Need
powdered sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1 c. water
1/2 tsp. peppermint oil

Instructions
STEP 1: Sprinkle a thick coat of powdered sugar on a cookie sheet.
STEP 2: Combine the granulated sugar, light corn syrup and water in a heavy saucepan.
STEP 3: Cook over medium-high heat until the hard-crack stage on a candy thermometer.
STEP 4: Remove from heat.
STEP 5: Add the peppermint oil.
STEP 6: Stir well.
STEP 7: Pour onto the cookie sheet.
STEP 8: Sprinkle with more powdered sugar.
STEP 9: Cut with kitchen shears as soon as cool enough to handle.
STEP 10: Store in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Tips & Warnings

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• Test for the hard-crack stage by placing a teaspoon into the candy mix and then dipping it into cold water. It should harden immediately and crack when removed from the water.
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• Use different oils to make different flavors of candy - cinnamon, coconut, lemon or whatever your favorite flavor is.

  
  

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