Old Fashioned Hard Anise Candy Recipe

This year I decided to try my hand at making hard candy for the holidays.  My mom always made hard anise and I believe (if my memory serves me right) cinnamon flavored candies at Christmas time.

I could remember the smells from the kitchen as she was lovingly cooking the candy to the perfect temperature.  It was always in beautiful colors of green and red.  She use to store them in Mason Jars to keep it fresh.  They reminded me of the Christmas lights on the tree.

I searched online for a good recipe.  Some called for boiling water....some did not....some called to roll the candies in powdered sugar after it cooled.....some did not.  So I decided to learn a little from each recipe I read and "do it my way".

Ingredients:

3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/4 teaspoons anise oil
red food coloring

Directions:

Butter a pan - 9" x 9" pan if you want thick candy or larger if you want thinner candy.  **Must use butter, it adds to the dimension of the candy flavor**

Mix sugar, corn syrup and water in at least a 2 quart saucepan (need room for the candy to expand!).

Cook over medium heat to hard crack stage on candy thermometer.

Remove from burner.

Add Anise oil and food coloring (upon addition be careful as it was bubble up more and spatter - and let off a lot of strong anise steam).  Mix Well.

Pour into buttered pan.



You can make your candy as dark colored or light as you like.


Begin marking the candy as soon as it is partially set - Continue going over the markings until set. (I like to use a metal spatula to make the markings - works great).

As you can see some of the piece held there marks and other did not - so just keep working at it until they all hold the marks.


Break on the markings when the candy is completely cool.  Store in an air tight container.

I am so glad I make this.  My husband and I just love it.  It makes me thing about Christmas during my childhood.