Most children love sweets. The rest of them adore. But how to properly do mothers who do not want to deprive their child of joy from candy and cakes, but at the same time worried about the health of crumbs? The output is not so complicated: you just have to learn how to cook sweets at home. Of course, 100% of healthy food candies, ice cream and candies will never, but at least limit the amount of synthetic food supplements in the baby's diet.
In this article, we will tell you how to make lollipops from sugar at home, and offer a few recipes of candy candies that can become a worthy substitute for "chupa-chups" and other "miracles" of the chemical industry.
Base recipe for sugar candies at home
This recipe is the easiest method to make lollipops. In the future, you can modify it by adding components to your liking (fruit juice, dyes, coffee, citrus peel, etc.), but the base of the candies is always the same. The basic recipe is a recipe for famous cockerel candies, there is nothing superfluous in it. True, market "cockerels" are often painted in bright colors with the help of food colors.
Ingredients:
- granulated sugar - 10 liters;
- water - 10 liters;
- vinegar - 1 tbsp. (preferably natural - apple or wine). It can be replaced with citric acid - 0.2 phr;
- vegetable oil (to lubricate the form).
Preparation
Water, vinegar and sugar are mixed in a refractory container (best of all - in an enamel saucepan) and get warmed up properly. When the mixture became hot, and the sugar began to dissolve, reduce the heat and, constantly stirring, cook the syrup until golden brown. The cooking time depends on the amount of mixture in the pan - the more the serving, the more time it takes to prepare. From time to time, drip the syrup into a cup of cold water. As soon as the drop begins to harden - the candies are ready, you can pour them into the pre-oiled form. Do not forget to insert prepared sticks, so that the candies were on the "legs". Wands can be bought ready, and you can use matches, bamboo skewers or toothpicks (of course, sharp edges should be cut off). Cool the candies to room temperature, open the shape and enjoy.
How to make colorful lollipops?
To make unusual colorful lollipops, you will need to slightly change the basic recipe for caramel.
Ingredients:
- granulated sugar - 8 liters;
- berry or fruit juice without pulp - 3 tbsp;
- lemon juice - 1ch .;
- sugar culinary powder (optional).
Preparation
All the ingredients are mixed and heated in a fire-resistant non-stick cookware, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the golden caramel is formed. If you added brightly colored juice, rely on the color of the caramel is not very reliable - check the readiness, dripping caramel into cold water. As soon as the drop begins to solidify, and not dissolve - the candies are ready (this is called "sample to the ball"). Add to the finished caramel sprinkle and pour into the forms. Due to the fact that sugar and juice from the syrup turned into caramel, the sprinkling will not dissolve.
If you have food colors, you can add them, then you will get the opportunity to cook green, blue, bright red candies. But keep in mind that the powder color must be mixed well with water before heating, so that the candies are painted evenly.
As a flavoring for candies can be a peel of citrus, coffee, pink or orange water, or synthetic food flavors.
How to make a shape for candy?
A real, ancient form for sugar candies is not so easy to find today. If you are the lucky owner of just such a heavy metal form - congratulations. If not - do not worry, finding an alternative to the classical form is not so difficult. Of course, you will not be able to obtain three-dimensional figures of animals, but who said that lollipops should be exactly this?
If you pour caramel mass on a flat pan with neat puddles and put in each of them on a stick - get beautiful candy-circles. Pour caramel "puddles" in a figured silicone shape, get fantasy candy of the original form. Very often as a form of using boxes of chocolate candy (with molds). Some make candies by filling the caramel with biscuit molds laid out on the baking tray. As you can see, there are lots of options. The main thing - do not forget to lubricate the form with oil, so that the candies do not stick, and make sure that the mold material is able to withstand, without melting, the temperature of hot caramel.