How to Make Fake Glass

Punching a fake glass window is much safer than hitting real glass, which breaks into shards.
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These instructions will result in either clear or amber glass, depending on the cooking time used. You can use the fake glass as stage glass by pouring it flat into panes or into molds to make breakable shapes. The sugar won't splinter into shards when broken like real glass would. It's not too difficult to make and takes only about 30 minutes to complete. You can also make glass on a grill.

Materials to Make Sugar Glass

  • 1 cup (250 mL) sugar
  • Flat baking sheet
  • Butter or baking paper
  • Candy thermometer

Directions

  1. Butter or line a baking sheet with baker's (silicon) paper. Place the sheet in the refrigerator to chill.
  2. Pour the sugar into a small pan on a stove over low heat.
  3. Stir continuously until the sugar melts (takes a while). If you have a candy thermometer, remove from heat at the hard crack stage (clear glass).
  4. If the sugar is heated just past the hard crack stage it will turn amber (colored translucent glass).
  5. Poor the melted sugar onto the cooled pan. Allow it to cool.
  6. The glass may be used as candy windows or for lots of other neat purposes.

Useful Tips

  1. Boiling water will dissolve the sugar and speed clean-up.
  2. The glass can be colored using food coloring. Add the coloring after the candy has finished cooking and has cooled slightly.
  3. Please use adult supervision for this one! Molten sugar can cause serious burns.
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Your Citation
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How to Make Fake Glass." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/making-stage-glass-with-sugar-602211. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). How to Make Fake Glass. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/making-stage-glass-with-sugar-602211 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "How to Make Fake Glass." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/making-stage-glass-with-sugar-602211 (accessed April 24, 2024).