Start by pouring your honey into your sauce pan, add in cream of tartar if using.

Prepare your candy molds by adding sticks into your mold before you start.

Heat your honey over low-medium heat with a candy thermometer immersed. Heat until honey reaches 300 ° F or 148 ° C. Do this very slowly, it will take some time. If you heat your honey too quickly it will taste scorched. If it seems your honey isn't increasing in temperature, increase your heat very slowly and surely. It's a labor of love. Candy making quickly goes from "done" to "burnt" so watch closely and increase very slowly, mixing continuously. It usually takes me about 10 minutes, and I usually have to slightly increase my temperature around five minutes and then am able to reduce it before my honey reaches 300 ° F. This is why a candy thermometer is necessary, if your honey doesn't reach this temperature the spoons will not harden and melt when removed from their molds.

Once your honey has reached 300 ° F turn off your heat and give your honey a good stir until the bubbles have settled. After your honey reaches the "hard crack" stage, it hardens quickly. Pour the honey into your prepared lollipop molds and let them sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Either way, they should harden nicely if your honey reached the threshold temperature necessary for hard candy. Let sit for 2 hours or until candy is completely hardened. Remove carefully from mold and enjoy!