Candy sticks are the delicious result of a science experiment that you can perform in your kitchen. You can prepare them using wooden sticks or string and customize them as you like with your favorite colors and flavors. Read on and give free rein to your imagination!
Ingrediants
- 475 ml of water
- 950 g of granulated sugar
- Food Colors (optional)
- Flavors (optional)
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Make the Sugar Syrup
Step 1. Heat the water in a saucepan until it comes to a boil
If you are a child, use the stove only under adult supervision; boiling water and steam can be extremely dangerous.
- If possible, use distilled water. The sugar may bind to the impurities contained in ordinary tap water and create a crust that will prevent it from evaporating and prevent the sugar crystals from growing as they should.
- If you don't have a stove, you can use the microwave. In this case, pour the water into a suitable container, add the sugar, stir to dissolve it, then heat the solution for two minutes at maximum power. Remove the container from the oven, stir again, then continue cooking the syrup for another 2 minutes. Stir the mixture a third time, by which time the sugar should have dissolved almost completely in the water.
- Always handle kitchen utensils carefully, put on a pair of oven gloves before touching the pot or taking the container out of the microwave.
Step 2. Gradually incorporate the sugar, about 120g at a time
Stir with a spoon after each addition, until the sugar has completely dissolved in the water. As the water becomes more and more saturated, the sugar will take longer to dissolve. In total it may take up to a couple of minutes.
Stir until the water is clear again. If the liquid appears cloudy or it is impossible to completely dissolve the sugar in the water, light the flame to bring the water to a brisk boil. Compared to cold water, boiling water has a higher saturation point, so by raising the degree of heat you should be able to completely dissolve the sugar
Step 3. Remove the pot from the heat and let the syrup cool for about 15-20 minutes
Make sure there is no sugar residue in the bottom of the pot. If bits of undissolved sugar were to end up in the jar you are going to make the sticks, the crystals would stick to the residue instead of the string or sticks.
- If any residual sugar remains undissolved even though the water has reached a vigorous boil, strain it through a colander and keep only the liquid part.
- The syrup obtained has a very high saturation level, which means that the water has absorbed much more sugar than it would have done at room temperature. As it cools, its saturation point will drop and the water will no longer be able to hold the same amounts of sugar. The dissolved sugar will fail to remain in liquid form and will crystallize on the sticks or pieces of string used.
Step 4. If you want your sticks to have a unique look and taste, you can add colorings and flavors
Combine flavors and shades so that they are easily recognizable, for example blue and blueberry flavor, red and strawberry flavor, purple and grape flavor. Mix carefully to blend the elements and obtain a result that is as uniform as possible.
- A few drops of food coloring will be enough, but still try to get a very intense shade.
- Try adding a soluble blend to make tasty and colorful drinks.
- Experiment with adding a few drops of fruit juice, such as lemon, lime, or orange. Your candy sticks will have a delicious fruity aroma.
- Add a few drops of mint, strawberry, vanilla or banana extract. Again you can experiment to your liking.
Step 5. Pour the syrup into the jar (or glass) in which you intend to form the rock candy
It is important that the container chosen is tall, cylindrical and made of glass; the plastic may melt due to the high heat. Almost completely fill the chosen container.
- Make sure that the glass is perfectly clean and that there are no dust particles. Sugar will tend to stick to anything, even dust, but of course your goal is to get it to stick exclusively to wood or string.
- Cover the bowl with a piece of parchment paper to prevent dust from settling on the surface of the syrup.
Part 2 of 3: Using the Twine
Step 1. Tie one end of the string to the center of a pencil, then tie the opposite end to a paper clip
The paper clip will act as a weight and will keep the string vertical and prevent it from coming into contact with the edges of the jar. The length of the string should reach approximately 2/3 of the depth of the container. The paper clip should never touch the bottom of the jar, but the sugar crystals should have a wide base to attach to. If the string is too close or in contact with the edges or the bottom, the crystals could be very small or badly made.
- Use twine made from natural fibers, such as cotton. Ordinary fishing line or nylon line is too smooth and causes sugar crystals to have a hard time finding crevices or imperfections to adhere to and accumulate.
- You can also use a washer or screw, or even another piece of rock candy to add weight to the twine, further promoting the formation of your sticks.
- The pencil must be long enough to rest on the top edge of the jar without the risk of falling into it. If you wish, you can replace it with a butter knife or a wooden stick, such as those used to make skewers or popsicles. The advice is to choose an object that does not have a perfectly round circumference to prevent it from rolling and falling down.
Step 2. Dip the string in the sugar syrup, remove it from the solution and spread it on a piece of parchment paper to dry
Make sure it is straight because it will become completely stiff as it dries. As the water evaporates, you will see some crystals form on the surface of the string. These small base crystals will allow the larger ones to accumulate.
- Before continuing with the following step, make sure the first crystals are completely dry. Also, be very careful about moving the twine towards the syrup so as not to risk detaching them.
- You can omit this point or try to speed up the process by moistening the string and rolling it in granulated sugar (in this case make sure it is completely dry before putting it in the jar and check that the sugar does not tend to come off); you should know, however, that the traditional method increases the chances of success of the recipe and allows the sugar crystals to accumulate more quickly.
Step 3. Dip the string into the sugar syrup and place the pencil on top of the jar
The string should be perfectly vertical and never come into contact with the bottom or sides of the bowl. Cover the jar with a sheet of kitchen paper; do not use something that can seal it hermetically because evaporation is an essential element of the process.
- As the liquid evaporates, the remaining syrup increases its degree of saturation and the water forces the sugar to escape. The sugar molecules will accumulate on the twine, forming beautiful crystals.
- Attach the pencil to the jar to prevent it from rolling, dropping, or moving as the crystals form.
Step 4. Place the jar in a safe place, where it will remain undisturbed
For large sticks it is advisable to choose a cool, dark place where the water can evaporate slowly, giving the crystals plenty of time to develop.
- If you're short on time and don't mind if the crystals stay small, expose the jar to the sun to speed up the evaporation process of the water.
- Vibrations can negatively interfere with crystal formation. Do not place the jar on the floor (to protect it from vibrations caused by walking) and keep it away from sources of sounds and noises, such as radios and televisions.
Step 5. Wait a week for the crystals to have time to form
Do not touch or tap the jar so as not to disturb the process or cause the string to fall. After a week you should be able to see large regular crystals clustered along its entirety. If you wish, wait a few more days or even a week to see what size they can reach.
Step 6. Carefully remove the string from the syrup and place it on a sheet of baking paper to dry
Use scissors to remove the paper clip.
In case the candy cane has stuck to the glass, run very hot water over the bottom of the jar. The heat should partially melt the crystals allowing you to extract your creation without risking breaking it
Part 3 of 3: Using Popsicle Sticks or Wooden Skewers
Step 1. Moisten the stick or skewer with water and roll it in granulated sugar
This step allows you to create the basic crystals, which are the ones that will give the sugar something to stick to and will aid the crystallization process. The basic crystals facilitate the formation of the sweet stick and being an easy target to reach allow you to shorten the creation time.
Before proceeding further, wait until the wood is perfectly dry. The sugar will have to weld perfectly to the stick, otherwise it will risk falling to the bottom of the jar, crystallizing in that point rather than where you want it
Step 2. Place the stick in the center of the jar, making sure it does not come into contact with either the sides or the bottom
If it touches the glass, it may prevent the crystals from growing or make the result impossible to detach from the walls of the jar.
Try to keep the tip of the stick about 2.5 cm away from the bottom of the bowl
Step 3. Attach the clothespin to the top of the stick and rest it on the rim of the jar
The stick should be close to the center of the clip, as close to the spring as possible. If the jar you choose has a very wide mouth, you can use an extra large clothespin.
- The stick must be firmly attached to the clothespin and be exactly in the center of the container.
- Cover the jar with a sheet of kitchen paper. You can make a small hole in the paper for the stick to pass through.
Step 4. Place the jar in a safe place, where it is not disturbed by music, television or frequent passage; vibrations can disturb the crystals and cause them to detach from the support and fall to the bottom
For an ideal result, choose a cool, uncrowded and quiet place.
Step 5. Wait a week or two for the crystals to have time to form
During the entire period, do not touch or tap the jar so as not to disturb the process, also risking that the sugar detaches from the wood. When you are satisfied with the number of crystals that have formed (or if it seems to you that growth has stopped), carefully remove the stick from the jar and place it on a sheet of parchment paper to dry.
- If a crust has formed on the surface of the water, use a butter knife to gently break it up, but avoid touching the crystals closest to the stick.
- In case the candy cane has stuck to the glass, run very hot water over the bottom of the jar. The heat should partially melt the crystals allowing you to extract your creation without risking breaking it.
Step 6. Finished
Advice
- If no crystals have formed after the first day, lift the pencil and remove the string from the syrup, bring it to a boil again and add more sugar. If it dissolves easily, you may not have added enough at first. Start over using this new fully saturated solution.
- This recipe can be a great science project for school.
- Crystal formation may take longer than expected, be patient!
