When you’re making candy, use the sturdiest pan you have. If you use a saucepan that’s too light, the sugar will scorch as you’re heating it. An 8 in (20 cm) saucepan is perfect for this job.
If your thermometer doesn’t clip to the pan, you can just hold it when it’s time to check the temperature. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you’ll need to know how to test the candy’s hardness stages by hand.
At medium-high heat, it should take about 5 minutes for the sugar to come to a boil. If you have the stove set to medium heat, it will take a little longer, but you’ll be less likely to burn the mixture. If the sugar doesn’t reach 300 °F (149 °C), it won’t harden properly, and your glass will be sticky and not brittle. [3] X Research source Sugar can scorch very quickly, so don’t leave the pan unattended while you’re doing this!
Be very careful when you’re moving the pan, as the sugar will be extremely hot!
For example, if you want to make sea glass, stir in 1-2 drops of blue food coloring, or a combination of blue and white or blue and green. The cool blue sea glass pairs well with 1 teaspoon (4. 9 mL) of coconut essential oil, but you could also use peppermint if you prefer. If you’re making stained glass, make several batches of sugar and color each one a different hue. You can even match each color with a different flavor, like cherry or cinnamon for red and lime or apple for green!
Try to use a bowl that holds about 2 cups (470 mL) of liquid. That way, you won’t spill the hot sugar mixture when you’re taking the bowl out of the microwave. To tell if a bowl is microwave-safe, look on the bottom for a symbol that looks like 3 wavy lines.
If the sugar spills in your microwave, it could be really hard to clean off. Also, you could get burned if you accidentally touch the hot sugar.
Due to the differences in microwaves, temperatures and cooking times may vary. Keep an eye on the sugar while it’s heating. Stop the microwave if the sugar starts to boil over or scorch.
Carefully open the plastic wrap away from your face so you don’t get burned by escaping steam.
If you had to adjust the time the first time you heated the sugar, use that same time again. If you were to test the temperature of the sugar with a candy thermometer, it should be about 300 °F (149 °C). You could also test the temperature by carefully drizzling a little of the sugar into cold water. The sugar should immediately harden into brittle threads, which is called the hard candy stage.
Sea glass is a popular version of this treat. Add a drop of blue food coloring to the mixture and a flavoring like coconut or peppermint. When the candy hardens, lightly dust it with powdered sugar.
You may want to prepare the baking sheet before you heat the sugar, since you’ll need to pour it quickly. If you prefer, you can line the pan with wax paper or silicone sheets rather than using cooking spray. If you’re making stained glass or another type of glass that you don’t want to break into shards, pour the sugar into a silicone stained glass mold instead of a baking sheet.
If you prefer, you can sprinkle the powdered sugar on the glass after it’s hardened. This is often done when making sea glass. You can also skip it altogether.
You can also tilt the pan back and forth to help create an even layer of sugar if you want. The sugar will be very hot, and it will stick to your skin if you touch it. Be careful, or you could end up with a nasty burn![12] X Research source
You can also use a mallet or another tool to break the glass if you prefer. Once the sugar glass is broken, you can just pick up the pieces to remove them from the pan. If you poured the glass into silicone molds, carefully bend the mold away from the sugar so the pieces pop out.
In addition to making your candy safer to eat, this will give your glass a slightly aged look. If you’re making broken glass for a Halloween scene, you may want to leave the sharp edges. Just be careful when you’re eating!
You can also divide it into individual cellophane bags. To keep your candy fresh for about 2 weeks, place silica gel packs in the container. You can find these at any home improvement store.
