How to Make Rock Candy

Learning how to make rock candy is easy and can often be a hit with kids. Old fashioned rock candy is a simple alternative to store bought junk food and can be very interesting and fun to make. Following these easy steps with ingredients that are already found at home makes rock candy a quick and delicious treat to be enjoyed anytime.

Here are the things you will need to make rock candy:
-String
-Pencil
-Paperclip
-Glass or plastic jar
-Pot
-Water
-2 cups cane sugar

1. After determining the height of your jar, cut a string approximately 3 inches shorter than the jar. Make sure you leave plenty of room between the end of the string and the bottom of the jar.
2. Attach the paperclip to the end of the string by tying it. There should be about an inch between the clip and bottom of jar.
3. Tie the string to the middle of the pencil. Be sure that when the pencil is placed atop the jar that the string will be hanging directly in the middle.
4. Dip the string and paper clip into water before sprinkling sugar onto to. After doing this you will begin to see some of the first crystals forming.
5. Boil water and 2 cups of cane sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Make sure that the water and sugar mixture is boiling hot.
6. Begin to pour the hot sugar water into the jar and hang the pencil above so the string lies straight down into the water. In only a couple of days you will begin to see crystals forming on the string. If you wait long, the crystals will be larger as well.

Making rock candy with your children is an enjoyable activity that makes a delicious treat as well. You will find that learning how to make rock candy is extremely easy and can be done by almost anyone. Try using food coloring in the sugar water before setting to create different colored rock candy.

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