• 4 cups (fancy) or medium amber maple syrup
• 1 tbsp butter (or enough to coat inside rim of pot)
• 4-5 drops vegetable oil

Equipment

• heavy-bottomed pot
• candy thermometer
• wooden spoon
• silicone/rubber molds (or metal molds lightly greased with vegetable oil)

1. Add maple syrup to a heavy-bottomed pot
2. Butter the inside rim of the pot. [The butter fat will help keep bubbling syrup from rising too high in the pot]
3. Add 4-5 drops of vegetable oil to the syrup. Bring it up to a boil over medium heat. Using a candy thermometer, boil until the syrup reaches 244º - 246º (hard crack stage)
4. Remove from heat carefully, without jostling the pot, and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes
5. Remove the thermometer and with a wooden spoon, stir continuously until the syrup begins to lose its gloss, and you can see a distinct color change. This will take about 2 minutes
6. Pour into silicone/rubber (or lightly greased metal molds) immediately. Work quickly, as the syrup will begin to harden almost instantaneously
7. Allow to cool and harden in molds at least 10 minutes. The candies will turn a whitish color when they are set. They should pop right out of the molds with ease

Suggestion:  Scrape any excess maple sugar from the bottom of the pot and save to put in coffee