Our first experiment with corn syrup free candy making my sister and I decided to go to the highest temps where sugar is going to crystalize no matter what unless you have something to stop it. This was our make or break recipe as to whether or not we could pull it off.
Well, they turned out beautifully. There was not a single bit of sugar crystals to be found anywhere in the batch.
First attempt I made the sugar syrup and then made the lollipops to make sure we could do it. They turned out fine and had a wonderful rootbeer flavor from the extract. The second attempt I made everything at once, streamlining the process. Again, everything turned out fine for a soft peppermint flavored lollipops.
Corn Syrup Free Lollipops
3c sugar
1c water
2T lemon juice
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp oil flavoring or 1 dram of the candy flavorings or 1 1/2tsp-1T extract depending on desired strength.
food coloring if desired
Prepare a medium to large saucepan. Be careful to select a large enough pan, you do not want it boiling over on you. Combine water, lemon juice, cream of tartar, and sugar in sauce pan. Stir softly. Consider that you're scraping the sugar crystals off the side and bottom of the pan rather than stirring. Heat on low until sugar dissolves. You'll know it has dissolved when the liquid goes clear, it might be a bit foamy or have a surface white sheen from the cream of tartar but don't worry, it will disolve in quickly. Once the sugar is dissolved, wipe down the sides with a damp pastry brush. It's okay to go into the sugar syrup a little bit to ensure all the sugar crystals are out of your pan. Scrape the bottom and edges again to make sure the crystals are gone. Once they are and before it really starts boiling take the stir tool out of the pan. Clip on your themometer. Watch and wait for it to reach hard crack, carefully it can skip quickly. Be sure you adjust your temperature for your altitude and not just blindly follow the candy thermometer.
Once it reaches hard crack remove from heat. Let it cool to 275 before adding flavors and colors. The high temperature will burn your flavorings if you put them in right away. Once you stir in the flavors and colors with a clean wood spoon or spatula, pour it into your pan for stained glass candy or moulds for lollipops.
Pictures coming soon!
Allergies have plagued my kitchen experiences but through the trails we can rise to new heights of creativity. Being a celiac myself and having three children who have problems with soy, milk, and eggs, as well as a husband who can't eat nuts, squash, cucuberts, shellfish, or beef we get real creative around here. I present my journey through the allergy world and my adventures in starting a business, writing cookbooks, and creating a farm.
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