Candy Science Experiment: Melting Candy

During our Expanding Candy experiments, the Butterballs got to see the effects of water on two different types of candy.
http://makingmamamagic.blogspot.com/2014/10/candy-science-experiments-expanding.html

Today we decided to test a few boiled sweets and find the ideal conditions needed to dissolve them.

 First we tried dissolving the candy in water.

The Butterballs filled one test-tube with warm water and the other test-tube with cold water. 

Using the tweezers, they added two green boiled sweets to the test-tube with cold water 

and two red boiled sweets to the test-tube with warm water.

After a few minutes the warm water began to turn red as the candy slowly melted.

The cold water with the green candy took a long, long time before it changed to a pale green color.

Wouldn't the candy melt faster if we put it in a pot on the stove? asked Tamlyn 

Ethan 'then we grow red rock candy!'

 For the next experiment, the Butterballs filled 4 test-tubes with warm water. 

They helped me crush two boiled sweets which they added to 2 of the test-tubes.

They placed whole boiled sweets into the other two test-tubes.

 After a few minutes, the water in the test-tubes with the crushed candy began to change color 

The whole candy did melt but it melted quite slowly.

 The Butterballs also found that stirring the candy with a swizzle stick helped it dissolve faster.

 For our last activity, we decided to make lollipops using the leftover boiled sweets

The Butterballs chose their favorite flavored candy 

and arranged them in flower-shape on a sheet of baking paper.

I popped the tray into the oven for 4 minutes at 180 degrees celcius.

The Butterballs sat in front of the oven and peered through the glass. 

They were amazed to see the candy melt and bubble.

Watch your candy carefully as it burns easily!!

Once the candy had melted completely,

 I took out the tray and quickly pressed a lollipop stick onto each lollipop.

We left the lollipops on the tray to cool completely.

Once they had hardened, the Butterballs peeled them of the paper

 and eagerly licked their giant multi-flavored lollipops.