Place a large platter in refrigerator to chill.

Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Remove spoon. Do not stir candy again during cooking.

When candy begins to boil, cover saucepan tightly and let boil 3 minutes; the steam formed washes down any sugar crystals. Remove cover; continue cooking. From time to time, wash away sugar crystals which now appear on the sides of the saucepan. For this, use a fork wrapped in a piece of cheesecloth and dipped in cold water. (Or-from another recipe-use a wet pastry brush.)

Cook to soft ball stage, and 1 minute longer, or 240 F. on candy thermometer, for firm fondant for molding. (At 238 F., which is soft ball, fondant is suitable for coconut drops, layers in fudge, et cetera.)

At 240 F. remove pan from heat; pour fondant at once onto cold, wet platter. Let fondant cool to lukewarm. Add flavoring. Beat with fondant paddle, spatula, or wide, flat wooden spoon until fondant becomes white and creamy. Knead until the mass is smooth and no lumps remain.

Put fondant away in covered glass bowl or jar to ripen for 2 or 3 days before using. It may be kept longer if tightly covered. Use fondant as suggested in various recipes.

"The home candymaker who likes to create professional-looking chocolates and other candies must be able to make good fondant. This recipe is simplified from a commercial formula. The fondant remains creamy and workable. It may be shaped and dipped in chocolate. Some may be colored with food coloring. Some may be combined with nuts, coconut, chopped candied fruits or combined in layers with fudge, caramels, and other mixtures to make logs, squares, and various decorative pieces for the sweetmeat tray."