Start with 4 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar. Put it all into a large saucepan, because once you put it on the stove it will expand while boiling.
Once your pot is on the stove, bring it to a low boil over medium heat, and continue to add sugar one cup at a time until you can no longer dissolve any more of it (making a completely saturated sugar solution).
Turn off the heat and allow it to cool for 15 minutes.
While your sugar is cooling you can prep your sticks. Soak them in water and roll them in a coating of sugar to give the new sugar crystals something to "seed" to. Be sure to let them dry all the way!
CAREFULLY pour your sugar solution into your glass jars. If you'd like to add food coloring or flavoring (lime, mint, etc) to your rock candy, now is the time to do so.
Slowly insert your sugared skewers into the solution. You can use a clothespin as shown to keep your sticks in place. Smaller mouth jars/glasses work best, but only allow room for about two sticks per jar. Be sure that your sticks are not touching the sides or bottom of the glass or each other!
Set them up in a warm, sunny location where they won't be disturbed, and wait...
Keep waiting...
Some more...
After about a week you will have made yourself a batch of sparkling sugar rock candy!
Yes, a week.
Enjoy! The kids will love making them, and eating them. It's a great Christmas project.
