And since I love planning parties and always looking for economical and creative ways of entertaining...I thought this would be a worthy post and know it will come in handy. It would be a great activity for my son and I to do together too...he says he would like to be a chef one day!!!!
Homemade Gumdrops
Yields 50-60 candies
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Set time: 24 hours, plus 2 days for crystallization
INGREDIENTS
Cooking spray
Baking sheet
4 silicone candy molds or ice cube tra*
4 tablespoons gelatin (4 1/4-ounce packets)
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups boiling water
4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon flavored extracts**
3-4 drops food coloring
1/4 teaspoon flavored extracts**
3-4 drops food coloring
Small bowls for coloring and flavoring
Sugar for coating
Sugar for coating
*Tip: No candy molds? Use shallow baking pans sprayed well with cooking spray. After the candy sets overnight in the fridge, spray a knife with cooking spray, and cut the mixture into squares.
**Tip: Purchase a variety of extracts from the baking section of your local crafts or grocery store and experiment. Start with 1/4 teaspoon, taste test, then adjust accordingly.
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large pot, add the gelatin to cold water, and let it sit for five minutes while bringing 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil.
- Set the candy molds on a baking sheet and spray liberally with cooking spray.
- Stir the boiling water into the gelatin until it dissolves, then slowly stir in the sugar.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 25 minutes, stirring constantly. It’s normal for the mixture to bubble and froth when you stir it.
- Ladle the mixture into four small bowls, and stir the food coloring and flavor extracts into each.
- Slowly pour the different colors into the different compartments of the silicone molds.
- Set the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill overnight.
- Gently pull the candies out of the molds, then roll them in sugar until fully coated.*
- Set them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet for two days so they can crystallize.
*Tip: When pulling the candies from the mold, they will be gummy, but gently continue to pull them out quickly. The candy will retain its shape after it settles.
*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS RECIPE IS NOT MINE BUT MAY BE FOUND ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED WEBSITE!!!!
Enjoy!!!!
Jay xoxo
