basics: cracked corn to sugar

[wscrst]

Please help me get started making corn whiskey. The recipe I have from the home distiller's workbook asks for 1 gallon of water, 2 pounds of cracked corn, 1 cup malt, and 1/2 pound sugar. It states to boil the mash for 2.5 hours and then cool. However, my other reading in other books and on line suggests that other heating procedures might be better. Do I really need to boil the mash for 2.5 hours or do I boil it for a while and then bring it down to 150-160? Can someone give me quick and simple advice about the temperatures and times for heating cracked corn to get it to turn to sugar? I would really appreciate it (burned the heck out of the first batch).