Directions

• Skewers should be dipped in water, covered in sugar, and then left to dry. I prefer to prepare this a day in advance, but as long as you give them an hour to dry, everything should be fine.
• Make certain that your jars are warm and clean (run hot water through them if necessary). Each skewer should have a chip clip or clothespin at the top before being balanced over the top of the jars. As the rock candy crystals will stick to the bottom of the jar and make it difficult to remove skewers, make sure your skewer is hanging about an inch above the bottom of the jar.
• Bring water to a boil in a big pot. One cup of sugar at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon between each addition to ensure complete dissolution. As you add more, you'll notice that it gets more difficult for the sugar to dissolve.
• After the last cup of sugar has completely dissolved, simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool off for about 15 minutes.

• Distribute the sugar solution among the five ready jars. At this point, stir in the food coloring. At this point, I advise moving your jars to the location where they will rest for the ensuing 6-7 days. Because the jars will be extremely hot, exercise caution. Place the prepared skewers into the solution once they are in their resting positions. Once the skewers are in place, you should make every effort to avoid moving the jars around too much.

• Small crystals will probably start to form within a few hours, but you must wait 6-7 days for the sugar crystals to fully form.

• When it's time to remove rock candy sticks from jars, gently break the hardened sugar on top of the jar with your finger or a fork. Then, wiggle the stick to release it. Before consuming the candy, let the solution drip from the stick (I suggest setting the candy over an empty jar or bowl to let it drip).