Instructions: Line 8x8x2 baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.

Butter foil & set pan aside. Butter sides of heavy 3-qt saucepan. In saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook over med-high heat to boiling, about 5 min, stirring constantly with wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan. Carefully clip candy thermometer to side of pan. Cook over med heat, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 290 , soft-crack stage, 20-25 min. Mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over the entire surface. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer from saucepan.

Quickly stir in desired food coloring and flavoring. Immediately pour mixture into prepared pan. Let stand 5-10 min or until film forms over surfaces of candy.

Using broad spatula, begin marking candy by gently pressing line acress surface, 1/2" from one edge of pan. Do not break through film on surface. Repeat pressing 1/2" along other 3 edges of pan, intersecting lines of corners to form squares. If candy does not hold shape, it is not cool enough. Let stand a few minutes & start again.

Continue marking lines along all sides, 1/2" apart, until you reach center. Retrace lines, pressing spatula deeper but not breaking film on surface. Repeat until spatula can be pressed to bottom along all lintes. Cool completely. Use foil to lift candy out of pan; break into squares. Store covered.

To make molded candies, oil hard candy molds. Quickly pour mixture into molds. Cool 10 min. or until firm. Invert; twist molds until candies come out. Cool completely.

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