T he steps for making candy canes are very similar to those for making ribbon candy. The recipe is the same. The main difference is the shape of the actual batch as it is being pulled out and the shape it is pulled out in. Ribbon candy is pulled out as a long, thin ribbon and candy canes are pulled out looking more like a rope. Notice that we make all of our hard candies using copper kettles and a marble table because they distribute the heat evenly, avoiding those pesky hot spots.

Step 1: Boil ingredients (Sugar, Corn Syrup, Water, Cream of Tartar) and pour onto marble table. It's consistency is that of a thin (Hot!) syrup. Add Flavoring.

Step 2: Mix the flavor using dough cutters. When it has cooled and become more solid, use dough cutters to divide the batch into 2 or 3 pieces depending on how many colors of stripes we want to put in this particular batch. This photo shows 2 stripes. The larger main piece is now carried to the candy hook to be pulled (similar to a taffy pull). This "aerates" the candy - adds air to the batch, causing it to increase in volume and turn white in color - also causes the batch to cool further.

Step 3: After pulling the main piece on the hook, it is moved in front of a candy heater, along with the 2 colored pieces. The colored pieces are now cut into the desired number of stripes and pressed onto the main piece.

Step 4: The candy is now pulled out into long pieces that are handed off to the person who will curve the tops to form the hook that makes a candy cane. This procedure is much easier than twisting the ribbon candy.

We make several flavors of candy canes: Wintergreen, Peppermint, Spearmint, Raspberry, Root Beer and Orange (striped orange & blue in honor of Syracuse University). Each Batch makes about 350 canes (depending on the size). We make big ones up to about 2 feet long. When the canes are being pulled out, the colors change by blending, fading and then coming back again, so like a snowflake, no 2 candy canes are exactly alike! Sometimes we even make chocolate dipped candy canes! Please keep in mind that if you request that we ship candy canes to you, they will probably be broken in transit.

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