Did you use a candy thermometer? My hard candy (I don't use a mix, just sugar, water, and cornsyrup, add flavoring and coloring after pulling off of the heat and right before pooring) always sets within 10-20 minutes. You didn't put it in the fridge did you? Also, don't stir it while it is heating up, will cause air bubbles = clouds.
Did you use a candy thermometer? My hard candy (I don't use a mix, just sugar, water, and cornsyrup, add flavoring and coloring after pulling off of the heat and right before pooring) always sets within 10-20 minutes. You didn't put it in the fridge did you? Also, don't stir it while it is heating up, will cause air bubbles = clouds.
I did use a thermometer but it may not have given me an accurate read, as it was supposed to be 2 inches deep in the mix and I used too big a pot! I didnt put it in the fridge. I was pretty sure the directions said to stir, but I could be wrong! Hmm...Do you get clear candies with your mix?
As I said, I don't use a mix, but yes, my candies are crystal clear.
My recipe is 3 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup corn syrup, stir together until just combined, then heat to 300 deg F w/o stirring. Remove from heat and add 1 dram LorAnn's oil, and, occasionally, a drop or two of Americolor. Stir very briefly, just to incorporate flavoring and color. Then poor into prepared molds immediately. My candy thermometer is digital. If you're going to do a lot of sugar work, I highly suggest investing in one.
It is probably temperature. And it is easier to make a larger batch and only use what you need. That way you get a good read on the thermometer. They won't harden.
As I said, I don't use a mix, but yes, my candies are crystal clear.
My recipe is 3 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup corn syrup, stir together until just combined, then heat to 300 deg F w/o stirring. Remove from heat and add 1 dram LorAnn's oil, and, occasionally, a drop or two of Americolor. Stir very briefly, just to incorporate flavoring and color. Then poor into prepared molds immediately. My candy thermometer is digital. If you're going to do a lot of sugar work, I highly suggest investing in one.
Thanks so much for the recipe!
It is probably temperature. And it is easier to make a larger batch and only use what you need. That way you get a good read on the thermometer. They won't harden.
Can you save the left over to re-heat and use later??
As I said, I don't use a mix, but yes, my candies are crystal clear.
My recipe is 3 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup corn syrup, stir together until just combined, then heat to 300 deg F w/o stirring. Remove from heat and add 1 dram LorAnn's oil, and, occasionally, a drop or two of Americolor. Stir very briefly, just to incorporate flavoring and color. Then poor into prepared molds immediately. My candy thermometer is digital. If you're going to do a lot of sugar work, I highly suggest investing in one.
can i ask what is 'a dram' and 'LorAnn's oil' ? sorry im from UK.
Also is there an alternative to corn syrup not sure if we have it here and do you use a particular sugar i.e. Granulated, caster, powdered ?
Sorry for all the questions but i really want to get as much info as possible before i try so i can get it right. Thanks
yes Defiantly under cooked!
I have reused my hard candy, as i only have 1 sucker mold, and it was fine!
a dram is about 1 tsp i belive and loranns oil is a brand of flavor oils.
And corn syrup thats a main ingrediant, my recipe is just sugar and corn syrup, and then flavor and colour.
Sugar is Gradulated 
Also my candy thermom. sucks too lol, its off by almost 25 degrees! so i use the cold water method just in case!
I agree, it was probably a temperature problem. When I made candy regularly using an old fashioned thermometer, I would test its accuracy on boiling water before I got started, so I could know if it was reading a few degrees off, and adust as needed. Candy is just that picky. Also, what is your humidity like? Humidity can really cause problems with candy making.
A dram is roughly a teaspoon. LorAnn's oil is a flavoring oil--flavored oils are best for candy because the flavor is not damaged by the high heat. Most people use granulated sugar for hard candy, castor sugar should work just fine, the starch in powdered sugar will make your final product cloudy. Golden syrup will work in place of corn syrup.
You can test you thermometer with boiling water. Water will boil at 212 f. if you test it and it isn't reading that, then you didn't cook it long enough it needs to be at 300 f
good luck
Margi24 you should be able to get glucose syrup. It works the same as corn syrup.
your clarity issues might be due to you stirring....you're not supposed to stir it at all, it can create crystallization in the sugar and make it cloudy or clump up too!
Even when you add coloring, don't stir...the bubbling of the sugar will incorporate it!
This was about 1/2" thick too, oh and I meant to have the veining in it (I did that by pouring it onto some crinkled aluminum foil, then peeled it off when the sugar was set).....I needed it to look like a swimming pool with the reflections pools get you know?
Here is some poured sugar I did recently for a duck cake and you can see it's nice and clear, I also made blue gems with some leftovers but me and the kids ate them......mmmmm, but they were also VERY clear and shiny!
Hello, My husband is trying out a HUGE batch of hard candy.. like 50 gallons using a steam boiler...
we have got the candy to stay hard for like 3 days more or less.. do you have any idea what we can do to keep it hard.. He is making big candy molds for his business.. He is using corn syrup sugar and water and right before he pulls it in to the mold he adds dry corn that has been grinded.. its for his
animals.. lol well now im not sure what to do... Can you help??
Hello, My husband is trying out a HUGE batch of hard candy.. like 50 gallons using a steam boiler...
we have got the candy to stay hard for like 3 days more or less.. do you have any idea what we can do to keep it hard.. He is making big candy molds for his business.. He is using corn syrup sugar and water and right before he pulls it in to the mold he adds dry corn that has been grinded.. its for his
animals.. lol well now im not sure what to do... Can you help??
Different candy types requires different levels of temp
-
Thread: 106-113ºC/223-236ºF
-
Soft ball: 112-116ºC/234-240ºF
-
Firm ball: 118-121ºC/244-250ºF
-
Hard ball: 121-130ºC/250-266ºF
-
Soft crack: 132-143ºC/270-290ºF
-
Hard crack: 149-154ºC/300-310ºF
- Caramel: 160-177ºC/320-350ºF
follow the temperature specified here. After that for testing the hardness, you can apply this tip:
Dip the pan in cold water. Drop a small amount of syrup into a bowl of cold water and attempt to make a ball in the water. Remove from the bowl. If it keeps its shape even when pressed slightly and is still sticky to touch, then it's ready.
Try this and hope it helps you 
. Now try making the candy. Hope it turns out good.
I tried at home but it didnt work out. I was trying to shop Canadian candy bars online.
The same thing happened to me, it was in my fridge all night but wouldnt harden! i even put it in the freezer for a couple of ours but it would still go soft after a while. It was just that i put to much food coloring in it- if you didnt use food coloring then you under cooked it.
I did the same...after letting candy set, it''s still gooie, I found that the pan I used (from Princess house) didn't let me bring the temp up to 300 degrees, I'll never use that pan again, I'll stick with my glass pan that works everytime, I use was trying to find out if I could reheat it to 300 degrees in my glass pan, but if not, I will just never use that pan again...First time ever making hard candy and every batch turned out great, as I never have made candy, I will from now on, I'm usually making cabbage rolls, etc, but live and learn I guess..
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