Valentine Lollipops

Oh I so love a good lollipop.  Most often associated with fond memories of childhood for many, though now that I am an adult, I simply cannot give them up. Thinking about them, searching for them, eating them, thinking about them, eating them: you get the drift.

A good lollipop however is hard to find.  The bad lollipop seems to be everywhere these days; full of chemicals and preservatives, run of the mill shapes and simply well, uncute. Spell check says uncute is not a word.  In my vocabulary it most certainly is.

So what's a lolli loving girl to do?  Make her own of course! And really making your own is very simple.  Much more simple that you would think.  You really only need a few specific items and you are set and ready to go.  I do have to say however that this is most definitely not a recipe for the little ones.  Hot, hot sugar and little people NEVER go together so I'd make this when they are otherwise occupied or not around.

If you don't have a good candy thermometer you'll need one for sure, and I strongly suggest you go purchase lollipop molds designed to handle hot sugar.  These you can find on Amazon or other baking sites. Or by checking them out here. You cannot make the lollipops in molds designed for chocolate.  The molds WILL melt.  You can however also make these free form, by pouring the sugar onto Silpat or silicone lined baking pans.  This method is a bit more free form and in my mind somewhat more difficult, but still lends a very pretty result. 

Here's the recipe:

Strawberry Creme Lollipops

2 C. granulated sugar

2/3 C. light corn syrup

3/4 C. water 

and 1 tsp. candy oil (such as Lorann)

liquid food coloring

Spray candy molds lightly with vegetable oil and set aside.  You will need approximately 3-4 molds each for this recipe. You can place the molds on Silpat or parchment lined cookie sheets for easier clean up if you spill.  Prepare a large bowl of ice water in the event of spilling the hot sugar on yourself.

In a medium sauce pan combine the sugar, corn syrup and water.  Stir to combine and heat over medium until the sugar dissolves.  Periodically washing down the sides of the pan with a wet brush to prevent crystallization.  Bring the mixture to a boil over med-medium high heat and clip on a candy thermometer.  Boil candy without stirring until it reaches 260 degrees F.  At this point, add the desired amount of food coloring and let the mixture incorporate on it's own.  Do not stir.

Once mixture reaches 300 degrees F, remove from the pan from the heat and allow the bubbling to subside.  Add the flavoring and stir gently until it is fully incorporated.

Please be very careful at this point to avoid burning yourself on the hot sugar.  Place the bowl of ice water near you for quick submersion if needed.

Carefully pour the sugar into the molds.  Then place your sprinkles in the mold where you like them.  Use a toothpick or skewer to submerge them in the sugar.  Allow to cool for 1 hour, then remove from the molds.

Wrap in clear cellophane bags for gift giving.