How to Make Barley Sugar

Ingredients

  • 3 1/3 cups sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • a pinch of cream of tartar
  • 1 lemon

Instructions

  1. Juice the lemon. Peel the rind off the lemon and set aside.
  2. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. Place the lemon rind and cream of tartar in the saucepan. Continue heating until it reaches 240°. Remove the lemon rind. Add lemon juice and heat mixture to 310°. Do not overcook the syrup. It should be a very light brownish color (almost the color of hay, for example).
  3. Pour mixture onto a greased surface. Let cool enough that it begins to set. Cut into strips. Let candy cool until it can be handled comfortably, then twist each strip into a braid.
  4. Put candy in an airtight container.