Lollipop Drink Food

LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Arrange the lollipop sticks in the lollipop molds and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to high and, without stirring, cook until the sugar is amber or until a candy thermometer reads between 300 to 310 degrees F (hard-ball stage), about 10 minutes (see Cook's Note*). Promptly remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully stir in the flavored extract.
• Work quickly, drop 1 teaspoon of the hot mixture into each lollipop mold. Reheat the mixture briefly over low heat if it starts to thicken. Let the lollipops cool for at least 15 minutes. Remove from molds and store in airtight containers or wrap individually.

OLD-FASHIONED LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Place lollipop sticks in hard candy molds or arrange sticks 3 in. apart on greased foil-lined baking sheets; set aside., In a heavy saucepan, combine corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals. Uncover and cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage). , Remove from the heat; stir in flavoring and food coloring, keeping face away from mixture as odor is very strong. Immediately pour into prepared molds or pour free-form over ends of lollipop sticks on baking sheets. Let cool before removing.

PEPPERMINT LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Put the sugar and cream of tartar into a saucepan with 200ml hot water. Gently heat until the sugar has completely melted, then increase the heat and boil until the mixture reaches the 'hard crack' stage on a sugar thermometer (or a small spoonful dropped into cold water sets hard). Remove from heat immediately and swirl in peppermint essence and enough green colouring to give a pale green colour - start by adding just one drop at a time.
• Cover a heatproof surface with baking parchment. Using a metal spoon, carefully pour some peppermint syrup onto the paper - roughly ½-1 tbsp per lolly. Push a lolly stick into each. If the syrup becomes too thick, just put the pan back over a gentle heat briefly. But if the syrup is too hot and runny, the shapes won't be as even so set it aside for a minute. Set lollies until hard.
• To clean equipment after lollipop making drop everything back into the pan, fill with water and bring to the boil.

ROOT BEER LOLLYPOPS

Steps:

• Grease 8 metal lollipop molds.
• Combine corn syrup water and sugar in small sauce pan over low heat, stirring just till the sugar dissolves.
• Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce back to low heat.
• Continue to cook until it reaches 300°F on candy thermometer (it will take 15 minutes total).
• If crystals form around edge of pan, brush them back with moistened pastry brush.
• Remove from heat add root beer.
• Fill each mold with 1 tablespoon mixture.
• Insert a stick into center inserting it 1/4 inch and smoothing over; let cool and then unmold.