Classic Hard Candy Chews

What's your favorite candy? Whether if it's chocolate-y goodness or fruity explosions, everyone loves candy. I always wanted to try to make my own. I mean what better than picking your own flavors and colors and sharing it with everyone you know. I love gummies  but hard candy also holds a special place in my heart. Classic Hard Candy Chews are the perfect blend of the two. They're hard at first, giving you a flavor you can suck on for a while. Then they turn chewy, giving your mouth some exercise :) They're easy to make and hard to mess up. The special part...it even allows you to play with your food. Like taffy, these chews have to be pulled and stretched giving you a pretty good exercise ;) Different flavors and colors can be combined to create the perfect candy for anyone.

Please vote for this instructable in the Candy Contest! :)

Some things you need to make this delicious candy are:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 cup of light corn syrup
• 3 ounces of water
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of flavoring- try extracts, natural juices, and any other flavors you want to try
• 2 drops food coloring (this is optional)
• extra butter is necessary for greasing the cookie sheet later

Some other things you need:

• a saucepan
• a wooden spoon
• a candy thermometer (remember when I won CHOW's Thanksgiving contest? Well, I finally got a chance to use that thermometer and it works great)
• waxed paper or plastic wrap- this it for storage (warning: these candy pieces stick to the most inconvenient things, especially each other)
• a cookie sheet
• kitchen shears for cutting the candy

Mix together sugar and cornstarch in the saucepan. Add  the light corn syrup, water, butter, and salt. Stir with the wooden spoon to mix evenly. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the mixture becomes clear.

Turn the heat to high. Take this time to grease the cookie sheet well with butter. Stir the mixture until it boils then stop stirring. Measure the temperature of the mixture with the candy thermometer. When the temperature reaches 270 degrees Fahrenheit, take the mixture off the heat and add the food coloring and flavoring. Stir in gently.

Pour the mixture onto the greased cookie sheet. Wait until the mixture is cool enough to handle.Then take the candy out of the cookie sheet and start pulling it. Stretch it out, twist it, and have fun with it. I pulled the candy into a rope and twisted it multiple times to get the right texture I want. If you have little ones :), this step is great for them to help with.

Once you have your “perfect" twist to your rope, start cutting it. Use the kitchen shears to cut the rope into piece size you want. Wait until the candy starts to stop sticking and wrap them up in the wax paper. There you go you're finished!

Classic Hard Candy Chews are the perfect candy for any day. They're easy to make and can be changed up anyway you want. Try different flavors, colors, or even both! The twists make them unique and they taste delicious too. Share with your family and friends and they'll be sure to love them.