Pour three cups of pure maple syrup into a heavy-bottomed pot or pan that has high sides (to prevent boiling over).

If your maple syrup starts to look like it may overflow the pot from the boiling and bubbling — don't panic. Grab a long-handled wooden spoon or a silicone spatula and quickly stir it once or twice. The bubbles will subside. You can periodically lower the heat or remove the pot from the heat entirely for a few seconds too.

Your maple syrup is ready once it has reached 260°F to 262°F (126°C to 128°C) on a candy thermometer (or meat thermometer). This is known as the hard ball stage in candy making and should take about 15-20 minutes.

Now it is time to stir or use your stand mixer!

If you choose to stir by hand, it takes about 5-10 minutes of continuous stirring and you will be switching hands to get a break! As you stir the syrup, it begins to thicken even more, becoming quite difficult to manage but you cannot stop because it will harden into a solid brick of sugar if you do.

If you have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer (or similar) this part will go easier. After about 1-3 minutes on low, the sugar is already starting to form into crystals. Keep your mixer paddling away on low until you have achieved maple sugar like in the photos. The colour will completely change from dark to light.

Store your maple sugar in an airtight canister. It will keep indefinitely at room temperature just like cane sugar.