A place to grow your relationship with God

Posts tagged ‘candy making’

Delicious Holiday Lollipops Recipe

Makes 6 lollipops.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups white chocolate melts, from 2 (12 oz.) pkgs.
  • 6 tsp. oil
  • 1/4 cup red candy melts
  • 1/4 cup green candy melts

Other things needed.

  • Round Cookie Treat Pan (Cookie pans with 6 (3 1/2″-diameter, 1/4″-deep) round molds)
  • Coarse red and or green decorating sugars
  • 6 (6″ long) lollipop sticks

Directions

MELT CANDY:

  1. In microwave-safe bowl, microwave 3 cups white chocolate melts with oil on Medium 1 minute; stir.
  2. Microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. In separate bowls, microwave red, green candy melts and remaining white chocolate melts on Medium in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth; transfer to separate plastic food storage bags. Snip 1 corner of each bag.

MAKE LOLLIPOPS:

  1. Sprinkle decorating sugar around inside edge of some molds.
  2. Pipe dots of assorted candy colors into molds to cover. Swirl with toothpick. Carefully cover halfway with candy-oil mixture.
  3. Place sticks in molds; cover with additional candy-oil mixture. In other molds, cover bottoms completely with decorating sugars.
  4. Carefully cover halfway with melted white mixture. Place sticks in molds; cover with candy-oil mixture.
  5. Let stand until set, about 2 hours. Remove from molds.
  6. Enjoy and happy holidays.

Understanding Candy Stages and Temperatures

Using a Candy Thermometer

Before making candy, check your candy thermometer for accuracy by placing it in water and then bringing the water to a boil. The thermometer should register 212°F (100 degrees Celsius). If the reading is higher or lower, take the difference into account when testing the temperature of a syrup.

Stage of CandyWhat does it makeTemperature
Thread StageBinding agent for fruit pastes223-234°F (106-112°C)
Soft-ball stageFondant and fudge234-240°F (112-116°C)
Firm-ball stageCaramel candy244-248°F (118-120°C)
Hard-ball stageMarshmallows250-266°F (121-130°C)
Soft crack stageTaffy270-290°F (132-143°C)
Hard crack stageBarley sugar300-310°F (149-154°C)
Caramel stageGlazes, coating agents320-350°F (160-177°C)