Prepare Your Surface: Lightly grease a marble slab or countertop with cooking spray. This will prevent the candy from sticking.

Combine Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Cook to Hard Crack Stage: Stop stirring and let the mixture boil until it reaches 300°F (hard crack stage) on a candy thermometer. This typically takes about 10-15 minutes.

Add Flavor and Color: Once at temperature, remove from heat and quickly stir in the peppermint extract. Divide the mixture into two portions; leave one portion clear and add red food coloring to the other. Mix until desired color is achieved.

Shape the Candy Canes: Allow the candy to cool slightly until it is safe to handle. With greased hands, pull and twist the clear portion into long strips and place them next to the red strips. Twist the two colors together to create a candy cane shape.

Cool and Store: Place the candy canes on a greased surface to cool completely. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar to prevent sticking and store in an airtight container.