Hey Sucka!

One of the easiest forms of sugar to make is the sucker. It does take a few dollars up front to start but then you just have to purchase lots of sugar and corn syrup. For anyone interested in making your own suckers here's the how-to:

The Supplies:

I like to use the metal sucker molds because they are easier to get the suckers out, easy to clean, and last for-EVER. Make sure that you get hard candy molds not the ones used for chocolate candies. The molds can be found at baking supply stores and sometimes at craft stores. You just have to look. The molds should also come with the clips to hold them together while you pour the suckers. Extras are nice because these are small and could go missing. 

Another necessity is a candy thermometer that goes to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Some easier to find supplies are the sucker sticks (~3" long). Paper ones work best because they won't melt and can be found at craft stores in the candy aisle. While your at the craft store pick up some treat bags (size 3 x 4")

Next you need to ensure you have a surface to pour the suckers. The cheap way is a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. The nicer way is a marble cooking slab but that's for the obsessive suckers makers (they can be used for other things).

The Ingredients: 

(to make one batch of suckers - about 25 suckers)

2 cups Sugar

1 cup Water

2/3 cup White Corn Syrup (like Karo Syrup)

Food Coloring (liquid or paste)

1 tsp Flavoring (grape, cinnamon, licorice, watermelon, and my fav -cloves)

What to do:

Set up the cooking surface (cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil or marble slab). Put together about 30 sucker molds and place them in rows on the surface. Spray the surface and the molds thoroughly with PAM (or other cooking spray). Combine water, sugar and corn syrup in pot on stove. Turn stove on High. Place candy thermometer into sucker mixture without letting the thermometer sit on the bottom of the pot (this will give an inaccurate temperature reading). When mixture reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit IMMEDIATELY remove mixture from hot stove burner. Quickly stir in coloring and then flavoring. Pour the liquid mixture into the molds making sure to cover the sucker sticks. Once the mix is in the molds it only takes a few minutes to set up and harden. When the suckers are hardened, pull the clip off the mold and this should release the sucker. Slowly releasing the mold will help the sucker to not break. After the sucker is free of the mold, place it in the treat bag and tie off with yarn or string.