Why is my hard candy grainy and not smooth?
The problem is that crystals of sugar were re-introduced into the liquid candy. This will cause your candy to crystallize and become grainy. To prevent this, (stove-top method only) wipe down the inner sides of your pan a few times with a wet pastry brush while your candy is boiling. An alternate method is to place a lid on the pan for about 3 minutes at the beginning of boiling. The idea is that condensed water, trapped by the lid will wash-down the sides of the pan.When making hard candy using the microwave method, always use a clean spoon to stir the candy after it has been cooked.
Another tip is to not add too much citric acid, as this can cause the candy to break down (and become grainy). Generally, ¼ teaspoon of citric acid is all that is needed per pound of candy.
