Mint Lollipops Food

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.

LAMB LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Trim the silver skin off lamb racks and cut into individual chops. Rub lamb with Smoked Salt, Herb Butter and black pepper. Then toss the racks with olive oil, garlic and rosemary.
• Turn on grill or start fire making sure grill is hot before placing lamb on grill. Rub the grill with a towel coated with olive oil. Place lamb lollipops on grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or desired doneness.

MINT LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets.
• Bring water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then stir in mint and remove from heat. Cool slightly, about 2 minutes, then purée in a blender, about 1 minute (use caution when blending hot liquids). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with 2 layers of paper towel into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids (you should have at least 2/3 cup liquid).
• Have an ice bath ready.
• Heat sugar, corn syrup, and 2/3 cup mint liquid in cleaned saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat, without stirring, washing any sugar crystals down side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water and skimming any foam from surface. Put thermometer into syrup and boil until it registers 300°F (hard-crack stage), then stir in mint extract. Immediately dip bottom of pan in ice bath to stop cooking.
• Pour a 2-inch pool of syrup onto 1 of the baking sheets and quickly put a lollipop stick in it. Continue making lollipops, spacing pools of syrup 2 inches apart. (If syrup becomes too thick to pour, heat to thin it.) Let lollipops cool and harden, about 15 minutes, then gently loosen with a thin metal spatula. If desired, individually wrap lollipops in cellophane wrappers.

LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH SMASHED MINTY BROAD BEANS

Steps:

• Mix the garlic, lemon, chilli and olive oil together, put the lamb cutlets in a dish and pour over the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate for 1 hr in the fridge, if you have time. Tip the broad beans into a food processor with half the olive oil, plenty of salt and pepper, and the lemon juice. Blitz to a chunky purée, then tip into a saucepan but leave off the heat.
• Heat a griddle pan and cook the lamb for 2-3 mins on each side for thinner chops, 3-4 mins on each side for thicker chops. While the chops cook, gently heat the purée. Then stir through the mint and the rest of the olive oil. Check for seasoning. Serve the lamb in a pile with a bowl of the smashed broad beans and plenty of bread to mop up the juices.

MINT JULEPS

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar and chopped mint leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow syrup to cool, approximately 1 hour. Pour syrup through a strainer to remove mint leaves
• Fill eight cups or frozen goblets with crushed ice and pour 4 ounces of bourbon and 1/4 cup mint syrup in each. (Proportions can be adjusted depending on each person's sweet tooth). Top each cup with a mint sprig and a straw. Trim straws to just barely protrude from the top of the cups. Serve juleps on a silver platter.

LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH MINT SALT

Steps:

• Put the salt into a mortar and pestle. Adding a few mint leaves at a time, crush them into the salt until all the mint is used up and the salt is green and fragrant.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Season the lamb with freshly ground pepper and rub them with the mint salt.
• In a deep-sided oven-proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb racks, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the lamb over and put the pan into the oven, uncovered, for about 7 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove the lamb to a board, cover with foil, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes while you make the glaze.
• Remove the excess fat from the skillet and add the red wine. Place the skillet over medium heat and reduce to a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes.
• Slice the lamb racks between the ribs into chops and place them onto a warmed platter. Drizzle the glaze over the chops and serve as "lollipops".

MINT CANDY FILLED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper baking liners.
• For cupcakes, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract.
• Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk until just blended.
• Fill prepared muffin tins 1/4 full. Place 1 mint on batter. Bake 12-15 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack. When cooled, remove paper lining from cupcakes.
• For filling, combine thawed whipped topping and peppermint extract. Slice cupcakes in half horizontally. Spread filling on cut surface of bottom half and replace top.
• For glaze, melt chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in peppermint extract; cool. Spread on each cupcake.

FROZEN STRAWBERRY, YOGURT AND MINT LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Puree the strawberries, sugar and water in a blender.
• Add the yogurt and mix together.
• Add the mint and pulse just to mix.
• Fill a small glass or shot glass. Cover with cling film and poke a lollipop stick through the centre of the cling film, suspending it in the centre of the puree. Place in freezer until frozen.
• Makes 15 small lollipops.
• Chef Jason Parsons.