As like all good things, it started with a Google search for homemade lollipops. I looked at a few and decided on one that looked "easy". I have tried making lollipops before, but they didn't harden properly and stayed sticky. I think part of the problem might have been that we live in Texas and it was an exceptionally hot and humid day. So we will see if these turn out better.
Let me preface this recipe with a warning: BOILING SUGAR IS VERY HOT! IT WILL BURN IF YOU GET IT ON YOUR SKIN!
Okay I said it, so be prepared. Make sure that you have everything ready before you start boiling. Because once the sugar is ready, you don't have much time. I will admit that I'm not very good at reading directions. I usually read the ingredient list and then look at the pictures (if there are pictures). But with hot sugar, you do have to be prepared. I have been lucky and only had one boil over, but it was a HUGE disaster. I had a giant pot of hot sticky goo that I didn't know what to do with. I couldn't pour it down the drain or pour it in the trash can. Finally I found an old jar and poured it in that. Luckily this is a small recipe, so you shouldn't have to worry about boiling over if you use a large pot. So here goes, good luck.
What you need:
- a large pot (mine was 3 quarts, but I think I could have used at 2 quart)
- a candy thermometer that clips to the pan
- spoon or whisk
- lollipop molds or a cookie sheet (make sure molds are heat proof or you will ruin them, trust me I know from experience on that one)
- lollipop sticks (I have seen people use coffee stirrers)
- cooking spray
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon flavoring
- food coloring if desired
1. Spray your molds with cooking spray (or spray a cookie sheet to make free form lollipops)
2. Place sticks in molds, have sticks handy for free-form.
3. Put sugar, corn syrup, and water into your cooking pot and stir together.
4. Cook and stir on medium to medium high heat until mixture begins to boil. (When the sugar starts to boil it will rise up the pot. Don't worry it will go back down. That's why you need a large pot so it doesn't boil over.)
5. Once the mixture starts to boil, stop stirring and attach your thermometer.
6. Continue boiling at medium high heat without stirring until the temperature reaches hard crack stage. For my thermometer that was about 305 degrees F. The temp may vary depending on altitude.
7. Once you reach Hard Crack temperature, remove the sugar from the heat and quickly add your flavoring and coloring (if desired). The mixture with bubble and foam a little when you add it, but don't worry.
8. Work quickly after you remove it from the heat and pour it into your prepared molds. If you are going for the free form version. Pour small pools onto your greased cookie sheet. (I have tried this and it works better on the back of the cookie sheet). Then quickly add your sticks.
9. Let the lollipops cool and then unmold. You can break off the strings and beads that dripped during the pouring.
So how did they turn out you ask, well pretty good. They hardened nicely and came out of their molds easily. The flavor was a little to faint, so I think on the next batch I will add a little more. I only have extracts, and I think oils give a better flavor. But I am just using what I have, so I will try adding a little more. This batch made 10 molded lollipops. I made 5 roses (in the picture), 2 bears and 3 happy faces. The happy faces are a little large for my taste, so I think I will ditch that one and just stick to the other two. I will definitely make more.
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