Rock Candy

 2 cups of water
3 cups of sugar
1/4 cups corn syrup
Food coloring (Optional)
Flavoring (Optional)
Form of stick (pencil)
Lifesavers
A string
A glass jar

Start a pot of water boiling on the stove.

Tie a piece of string around the middle of the pencil/stick/butter knife (I use thin wooden dowels). The string should be long enough so that when the pencil is placed over the top of the glass, the string will come up just short of the bottom.

Wet the string with a little water and roll it in the sugar. Put a lifesaver on the end of the string to act as a weight and help the string stay straight. Lay the stick over the top of the glass jar so that the string hangs down inside the jar, but not touching the bottom or sides of jar.

When the water has started boiling, remove it from the heat and let the water settle.

Stir in the sugar and corn syrup, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue adding sugar until it starts collecting at the bottom of the pot and won't dissolve even when you stir. This will take a while and a good bit of sugar but not too much.

If you want to add flavoring or color, stir it in now.

Pour the sugar/syrup solution into the glass until it is about 1" from the top.

Place the pencil over the jar and allow the string to dangle into the solution. Don't let the string settle on the bottom or sides of the glass.

Place the glass somewhere that it can sit for a while undisturbed (but do not refrigerate it). After a day or so, you should be seeing crystal growth on the string.

Leave the string in the solution until the crystals are big enough for you or have completely stopped growing.

Remove the string from the glass and let dry.

After you let dry please wait until crystal is formed.