[Sca-cooks] Rock Candy

[Etain1263 at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/22/2005 10:07:47 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
phlip at 99main.com writes:

> We were making Medieval rock candy?
> 

yes, you were.  The "secret" here is a supersaturated solution.  You heat the 
water..add as much sugar (and flavorings here, too) as it will hold (there 
will be a small bit of undissolved sugar in the bottom of the pan).  Pour off 
the solution into a deep container (making sure none of the crystals on the 
bottom get into your "working" solution). and suspend your string/swizzle 
stick/anything into it.  Now...partially cover it!  It needs to evaporate, but you 
don't need critters or molds, etc. getting into it.  The longer it takes to 
evaporate..the larger the crystals you will get.  For rock candy...it doesn't 
matter much!  Little crystals all over the "base" are just as tasty! If you really 
want it to go "fast"....dip your base string in the solution..then take it out 
and  dip it LIGHTLY into some granulated sugar.  Then put it back into the 
solution.  It's sort of like culturing pearls.

Etain