Peppermint Lollipops Food

PEPPERMINT LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Butter 10 assorted metal cookie cutters and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and cream of tartar. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage). , Remove from the heat. Stir in oil, keeping face away from mixture as odor is very strong. For each color of candy swirls, pour 1/4 cup sugar mixture into a ramekin or custard cup; tint red or green., Immediately pour remaining sugar mixture into prepared cookie cutters. Drizzle with colored mixtures as desired; cut through with a toothpick to swirl. Remove cutters just before lollipops are set; firmly press a lollipop stick into each. Sprinkle peppermint candies over tops if desired.

PEPPERMINT MERINGUE LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 225 degrees F. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit 2 baking sheets. Using a 4-inch diameter cookie cutter, draw 6 circles on each piece of parchment, then flip each piece over onto a baking sheet marked-side down.
• Combine the cream of tartar, salt and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until thickened, about 1 minute more. Mix in the peppermint extract, then add the confectioners' sugar in batches about 1/4 cup at a time, beating until well incorporated after each addition. After the last addition, continue to beat until stiff, shiny peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Fill a resealable plastic bag or piping bag with the meringue. Snip off the end or corner to make about a 1/2-inch-wide opening. Lay a lollipop stick down about 1 inch into each drawn circle and pipe the meringue lollipops onto the parchment circles over the sticks. Sprinkle the sanding sugar and silver sprinkles onto the piped meringue pops.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until the meringue is dry and crispy, about 2 hours.

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.

PEPPERMINT CANDY

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, butter, corn syrup and extract in large mixing bowl at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended.
• Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar; mix well.
• Divide mixture into thirds. Knead a few drops green food coloring into one third; repeat with red food coloring and the second third. Leave the last third white.
• Wrap each third in plastic wrap.
• Working with one color mixture at a time, shape into 3/4-inch balls.
• Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Flatten each ball with bottom of glass that has been lightly dipped in confectioner's sugar.
• Repeat with remaining mixtures.
• Decorating with icing or melted chocolate.
• Chill.

HOMEMADE PEPPERMINT CANDY CANES

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, water, syrup and cream of tartar in a sauce pan and heat till the sugar has dissolved.
• Divide mixture into 2 saucepans, bring to a boil (do not stir the mixtures in both pots) until the candy thermometer reads 280 degrees F.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint into each pot and add the red food coloring into one pot, leaving the other pot plain.
• Oil an enamel or marble surface or slab.
• Place mixture from one pot and stretch it like taffy, pulling and forming the mixture into a rope.
• Set aside and continue with other pot doing the same thing.
• Take both red and white ropes and twist them around each other again and again.
• Cut into desired sizes and form into candy cane shapes.
• Oil the surface lightly again and place candy canes and allow them to harden.
• Have fun making these!