The directions are slightly misleading. It took me four tries, but on that fourth try, oh man, the resulting candy was delicious. So here are my suggestions from a first time candy maker: 1. Make sure the candy thermometer isn't touching the bottom of the pot. 2. It doesn't take nearly 10 minutes for the syrup to cool from 235 to 175 so don't walk away 3. After it cools to 175, stir until the mixture becomes cloudy. For me it didn't turn a lighter color until I poured it into the molds but it did become cloudy and I noticed sugar crystals starting to form on the bottom of the pot. I tried with darker and amber syrup and had much better luck with the amber syrup.