Instructions: Punch holes at the top edge of a thin 8 inch square pan and lace about 7 strings from one side to the other. Stretch the strings so that they dont touch the bottom of the pan. Place this pan into another pan deep enough to catch any leaking syrup.

Dissolve sugar in water and cook without stirring to about hard ball stage (247-252 degrees) over medium heat. Pour syrup into laced pan. It should reach a level about 3/4 inch above the strings. Cover the surface with a piece of foil. Watch and wait. The syrup sometimes takes a week to crystallize. Lift out the laced pan. Cut the strings and dislodge the rock candy. Rinse quickly in cold water and put on racks in a very low oven to dry.

Crystal/Rock candy is a very simple hard candy made by allowing a supersaturated sugar syrup to evaporate slowly (sometimes for up to a week), during which time the sugar crystallizes into chunks. The crystals can be formed around any rough surface; strings or small sticks are most commonly used. Stir Sticks, are wooden sticks covered with rock candy used to sweeten drinks (like iced tea). Small rock-candy crystals can be used as a fancy sweetener for tea, coffee, and other beverages. Food color can be added to create a wide variety of interesting crystals. Rock and Rye liqueur has a large chunk of rock candy in the bottom of each bottle. (Rock and Rye; an American rye whiskey-based liqueur flavored with lemon or orange essence and distinguished by a chunk of rock candy in the bottom of each bottle.)

Crystal/Rock candy is an good example of crystal formation... too much sugar is dissolved into water making a supersaturated solution. You have to boil the mixture at temperatures over 250 degrees (remember, boiling water is only 212 degrees) just to get enough sugar into solution.

Crystal

Formation occurs when the sugar can no longer sustain the amount dissolved - this occurs when it cools. Crystals need a site for formation and any rough surface will do: string, wooden sticks, dust, just about anything (including the sides of the container). As the crystal forms, imperfections can be taken up and incorporated into the crystal lattice structure. Food coloring takes advantage of this fact and is used to create colored crystals.

ROCK CANDY Tips -

DIFFERENT COLORS:
One or two drops of food coloring can be added to each tin after the solution has been poured. You can make different tin with different color crystals.

CANDY STICKS:
Use wooden coffee stirs or popsicle sticks in one tray.EChildren can use these sticks at home to sweeten iced tea or water. Let them use their imaginations.

SEED CRYSTALS:
Drop a few seed crystals of sugar into one tin without any strings or sticks. See if crystals form.

AskEchildren if the patterns of the crystals look like anything else they may already know... buildings, rocks, jewelry, art... Have them try to draw a their crystals and discuss with others.

Crystal/ Rock Candy, like any candy recipe, is very unforgiving and can fail. I recommend making it at home first to be sure youve gotten the steps down and can reliably create a working supersaturated sugar syrup. Have some Crystal/Rock Candy Stirring Sticks already tucked away when the magic day comes to pull the strings out of the solution to ease failure.

Crystallization can occur on surfaces other than your string or stick. If youre string is lacking in crystals, pour out the water and examine the tray.

ChildrenEfind it hard not to touch. You may want toEhide it from their view during the week.

Barb Says: The children love to help on these. Just be careful. The temperature is very hot and they can easily get burned. This is a science project in a treat!

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