The kids have requested that we make rock candy. Thanks to some Googling, I found an easy recipe with a few options. We’re going to go plain flavor, with color on wood skewers. Also, I’ve tripled the recipe here for my 3 kids.
- Preparation:
- Supplies: wood skewers, granulated sugar, food coloring, large clothespins.
- Find a spot to set 3 jars where they will remain undisturbed, but watchable for 2 weeks.
- Prepare glass jars with labels for each child (just in case they pick the same color)
- Have three large clothespins ready to go. Test to make sure they fit over the mouth of the jars.
- Bring 6 cups filtered water to a boil.
- Stir in the 12 cups of sugar in 1/2 cup increments.
Stir with a spoon after each addition until the sugar is dissolved into the water. Stir until water is clear. This will take longer as more sugar is added. - Remove the solution from the heat and allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
- Pour the solution into clean glass jars almost to the top of each jar.
- Add food coloring and stir with a clean skewer.
Use a different skewer for each jar/color. - Wet a skewer or popsicle stick briefly with water and roll it in granulated sugar. Allow it to dry.
- Place the skewer in the middle of the glass – not touching the sides and the tip does not touch the bottom of the glass.
- Clip with the clothespin close to the spring so the clip will sit over the mouth of the jar.
- Place a paper towel over the jar with a hole for the skewer.
- Wait 1 week for your candy to finish crystallizing without touching or tapping the experiment.
{go to the full recipe with tips}
We aren’t quite ready to get this going, but I’ll post pictures when I do! :D