How to make your own candy canes

• Vegetable oil, cooking spray
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• 1 drop red gel-paste food coloring
• 1 drop green gel-paste food coloring

Directions

• Spray a very thin layer of vegetable oil onto the parchment paper. In a small saucepan, add sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil in a small saucepan, and stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves and the mixture is a luscious liquid. Cook, DO NOT STIR IT, until mixture registers 305 degrees on a candy thermometer, for about 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the stovetop, add in lemon juice and peppermint extract and stir. BE QUICK, pour hot sugar mixture onto prepared sheet. (CAUTION: The liquid is extremely hot) Let cool about 30 seconds until bubbles subside.

• Spray a metal spatula with vegetable oil.  Fold 2 edges of mixture inward vertically, toward center. Continuously fold candy in half on itself with spatula until it is cool enough to handle, about 1 minute (CAUTION: The candy will still be very hot)

• Washing your hands very thoroughly , pull candy to a desired length, then fold in half on itself. Repeat, twisting and pulling until candy starts to turn white. Remove a golf-ball-sized piece, and add food colorings to the piece. Continue to stretch and fold both pieces separately. When candy is almost cool, and the uncolored piece is white, pull each piece into a 12-inch-long rope.

• Place ropes side by side, and fold in half together to layer colors. Twist pieces together. Starting at 1 end, pull and twist until rope is 1/2 inch thick. Working quickly, twist and pull end to taper slightly, and cut off a 6-inch length with scissors. Continue twisting, pulling, and carefully make a curve at one end of the stick before the candy becomes too hard and can no longer be pulled.

Recipe originally retrieved from here