Every Christmas, for many years, we have made Cinnamon Hard Candy.  I’ve often wondered how Peppermint hard candy would taste and it is also very good.  My girls are freaked out by the blue color but you could also make it without any food coloring if you are smurf-adverse.

PEPPERMINT HARD CANDY

1 cup white sugar
1 cup Karo syrup
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil (usually behind the prescription counter at your grocery store)
1/4 teaspoon blue food coloring                                                                   powdered sugar

• Combine sugar, syrup and water in a sauce pan.
• Boil without stirring, over medium-high heat until it reaches hard crack stage (300-310 degrees).
• Once the candy starts to thicken and turn golden brown, watch carefully or it can scorch.
• When done, remove from heat and quickly add peppermint oil and food coloring.
• Pour into a metal pan that has been lined with about 1/4 to 1/3″ powdered sugar.
• Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of candy immediately. Let cool until the edges start to firm up and then immediately begin to score the pieces from around the edges and keep cutting inward, in squares, as the candy hardens.  This makes it easier to break into more uniform pieces once the candy has hardened.