Any ideas on how I can make candy that looks like ice? I bought my sister's boyfriend a martini shaker, and thought it would be cool to fill it with candy in the shape of ice cubes.
I have limited experience making candy - tried to make candy canes twice (the first time I boiled it too long, and the second time not long enough...and I'm blaming the candy thermometer!)...but I think this should be not toooooo hard. I was thinking that I could take a lollipop recipe, and just not add colouring. Do you think I could actually pour it into an ice cube tray (I have plastic and silicone ones) or should I pour it into a square pan and then break it up?
Also...would I boil it to the soft crack stage, or stop at the hard ball stage?
Thanks!
What a cute idea! I would definitely use an ice cube try. Probably the silicone one just to take out the "melted plastic" factor. I don't have a whole lot of experience making candy but I would think you would take it too the hard ball stage. I'm sure someone else knows more than me, so here's a *bump*.
the thing about cooking a sugar syrup, is by the time you get it to that hardball stage, the color has become a caramel color...here's another bump incase someone else knows.
another option would be something to do with clear piping gel
I could help you on candy looking like icicles but not on ice cubes... Sorry
OK Bobwonderbuns, you have peaked my curiosity. Please give me a heads up on the candy icicles. I think that would be cool. I like trying new things. Especially around the holidays.
Welllllll.... You make the rock candy recipe as you would normally. Then you take a large empty (and very clean!) pickle jar, poke holes in the top with a dowel. Run string through the holes and put the rock candy recipe (still warm and gooey) into the empty pickle jar, turn upside down and let it slowly slide down the strings. It takes a while but the end result is: Icicles!! Pretty cool huh? 
OK Bobwonderbuns, you have peaked my curiosity. Please give me a heads up on the candy icicles. I think that would be cool. I like trying new things. Especially around the holidays.
Welllllll.... You make the rock candy recipe as you would normally. Then you take a large empty (and very clean!) pickle jar, poke holes in the top with a dowel. Run string through the holes and put the rock candy recipe (still warm and gooey) into the empty pickle jar, turn upside down and let it slowly slide down the strings. It takes a while but the end result is: Icicles!! Pretty cool huh?
I'd have to see a picture of that set up..lol. are you hanging the threads outside the jar..puting the candy on top of the lid and letting it run down? aaaaarkg...gave myself a headache!! lol
someone lately made a beer cooler full of ice and she ended up using clear glacier mints for the ice...it looked awesome..just an idea in case you didn't want to make the ice.
Cheers,
Jane
YES..those are Soooooooooo cool... I made mine with WHITE GRAPE JELLO jigglers...
OK Bobwonderbuns, you have peaked my curiosity. Please give me a heads up on the candy icicles. I think that would be cool. I like trying new things. Especially around the holidays.
Welllllll.... You make the rock candy recipe as you would normally. Then you take a large empty (and very clean!) pickle jar, poke holes in the top with a dowel. Run string through the holes and put the rock candy recipe (still warm and gooey) into the empty pickle jar, turn upside down and let it slowly slide down the strings. It takes a while but the end result is: Icicles!! Pretty cool huh?
I'd have to see a picture of that set up..lol. are you hanging the threads outside the jar..puting the candy on top of the lid and letting it run down? aaaaarkg...gave myself a headache!! lol
Yes, That's the setup. I haven't actually tried this you see, but my friend was telling me about it and that's how she did it. So what you would have is a pickle jar upside down with a lid tightly screwed on with (small) holes poked in the lid and strings coming out of the lid holes. Let gravity do the job for you. 
someone lately made a beer cooler full of ice and she ended up using clear glacier mints for the ice...it looked awesome..just an idea in case you didn't want to make the ice.
Cheers,
Jane
Dumb question -- what are glacier mints and where can I get them? I've never heard of them! 
But where would you set the jar up? I'd be trying to walk around with it upside down all day..lol
I guess I can move my gumpaste flowers from the drying stand hook up and put this jar there IF I were to attempt this...lol
sounds like something I'd love to put into my cup of coffee to sweeten the caffeine!
If you get your friend to show you how, by all means come and teach us!
But where would you set the jar up? I'd be trying to walk around with it upside down all day..lol
I guess I can move my gumpaste flowers from the drying stand hook up and put this jar there IF I were to attempt this...lol
sounds like something I'd love to put into my cup of coffee to sweeten the caffeine!
If you get your friend to show you how, by all means come and teach us!
ha ha ha ha ha -- I'm sure she'd like to!! Since the rock candy mixture will be molten, it takes some doing and you have to turn it upside down so it needs to be suspended somehow because this can sometimes take weeks to have the icicles drip down the strings. I'm sure there's an easier way, but that's just not my nature! 
Dumb question -- what are glacier mints and where can I get them? I've never heard of them!
it's not a dumb question...clear mints ..I think you could get them at the bulk candy sections..also they sell them in bags...I just forget who makes them..check Walmart.
HTH
OK Bobwonderbuns, you have peaked my curiosity. Please give me a heads up on the candy icicles. I think that would be cool. I like trying new things. Especially around the holidays.
Welllllll.... You make the rock candy recipe as you would normally. Then you take a large empty (and very clean!) pickle jar, poke holes in the top with a dowel. Run string through the holes and put the rock candy recipe (still warm and gooey) into the empty pickle jar, turn upside down and let it slowly slide down the strings. It takes a while but the end result is: Icicles!! Pretty cool huh?
What am I doing wrong? I have tried these before and what has happened is the entire amount of sugar crystalizes and I end up with one lump of sugar that I can't get out of the container. I even emailed Beryl Bird of Just Fab Pastries and asked about the crystal knobs she makes for her Faberge' eggs, she makes small balls of fondant on wooden skewers, lowers them into the sugar syrup and suspends the skewers at the top of the container so the balls are floating in the syrup. I tried this but after 3 days the same thing happened. One large clump of beautiful sugar crystals that I couldn't get out of the container. Can you help me solve this problem, please?
OK Bobwonderbuns, you have peaked my curiosity. Please give me a heads up on the candy icicles. I think that would be cool. I like trying new things. Especially around the holidays.
Welllllll.... You make the rock candy recipe as you would normally. Then you take a large empty (and very clean!) pickle jar, poke holes in the top with a dowel. Run string through the holes and put the rock candy recipe (still warm and gooey) into the empty pickle jar, turn upside down and let it slowly slide down the strings. It takes a while but the end result is: Icicles!! Pretty cool huh?
What am I doing wrong? I have tried these before and what has happened is the entire amount of sugar crystalizes and I end up with one lump of sugar that I can't get out of the container. I even emailed Beryl Bird of Just Fab Pastries and asked about the crystal knobs she makes for her Faberge' eggs, she makes small balls of fondant on wooden skewers, lowers them into the sugar syrup and suspends the skewers at the top of the container so the balls are floating in the syrup. I tried this but after 3 days the same thing happened. One large clump of beautiful sugar crystals that I couldn't get out of the container. Can you help me solve this problem, please?
Well I'm no expert because I've never actually tried these before, but it seems to me that the holes have to be large enough to let some sugar run through but small enough not to dump the whole recipe. Let me ask my friend and get her input. It may take a little while though -- 'tis the season you know! Will get back to you with her response. Cheers!
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