Sugar Free Horehound Candy Food

HOMEMADE HOREHOUND CANDY

Steps:

• Wash horehound leaves and put in saucepan. Add water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, mashing occasionally with fork. Remove from heat; cover and let cool (needs to stand at least 1/2 hour to infuse.
• While infusion in cooling, butter a 9x13 pan.
• Drain horehound leaves into measuring cup (I use a coffee filter to strain it). Be sure to squeeze all the liquid from the leaves. Make sure you have at least 1 cup of liquid. Discard leaves.
• Pour liquid into a 4 quart saucepan. Add brown sugar and syrup. Bring to a boil and cook to 300 degrees on a candy thermometer (hard crack stage).
• Pour into prepared pan and let cool. Just before it sets up, score into squares with a knife to make it easier to break apart. When cool and set, break into pieces and store in airtight container.
• Note: The infusion (liquid from the leaves) can be frozen to use later.

HOREHOUND CANDY

Steps:

• Simmer the dried horehound leaves in the quart of water for approximately 30 minutes.
• Cover and let steep for 20 minutes.
• Strain the liquid and discard the leaves.
• Add sugar, syrup, and butter.
• Cook mixture until it reaches hard crack stage (300 degrees F).
• Pour into a greased pan and let cool.
• Cut into small drop-like pieces.