With it being close to Christmas and today is National Hard Candy Day, I am sharing this Homemade Lollipops recipe that kids will love to eat this festive season.
Preparing your ingredients and equipment is very important when making these lollipops. The sugar hardens immediately, so you have little time working on it. However, you can reheat the mixture if the sugar gets really hard to form into circles.
Ingredients
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
assorted sprinkles
lollipop sticks
candy thermometer
How to Make Homemade Lollipops
First, prepare all the ingredients and equipment before cooking the sugar as it hardens immediately.
Fill a large bowl with ice water that can fit the small saucepan you will use later and set aside—line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water—Cook over medium heat. Don’t forget to attach the candy thermometer.
Bring the mixture to a boil while continuously stirring until sugar dissolves. While waiting for the mixture to boil, wipe the sugar crystals forming on the saucepan’s sides using a pastry brush dipped in water.
Continue to boil the mixture for 5 to 7 minutes until it reaches 310°F or what we call a hard-crack stage. Once it reaches the desired temperature, remove the saucepan from heat.
Submerge it halfway into the bowl of ice water and swirl for 10-15 seconds to cool down the mixture. Remove the saucepan from the bowl and add the vanilla. Swirl the mixture immediately to incorporate the flavor.
Pour syrup onto the prepared baking sheets to form 2 inches diameter circles. Keep them apart from each other about 4 inches away. Press the sprinkles and lollipop sticks and cool completely until lollipops harden. Remove from the baking sheet
To see the original recipe that inspired this one, check out the recipe for Homemade Lollipops found at Just a Taste.
