Homemade Lollipops Recipe
by Nijigasumi
Even vegetarians and vegans can make their own homemade lollipops with our marvellously mooky DIY lollipops recipe...
Please note: Parental supervision is advised for people making homemade lollipops who are under the age of 15 and/or have little cooking experience. The sugar gets up to 305 F/148 C and is nothing to fool around with. If you get the boiling sugar on you it WILL burn you.
Most of the items listed can be sourced, in the US, from craft stores. UK / Europe / Oz mooks can find them in supermarkets or buy online :)
Recipe ingredients: Makes about 20 homemade lollipops
- 1 cup of sugar (240 ml)
- 1/3 cup of Light Corn Syrup (79 ml)
- 1/3 cup of water (79 ml)
- Food colouring
- 1 dram of flavouring (5 ml)
- Non-Stick spray (VERY Important to have!)
- Candy / Jam / Sugar Thermometer
- Tempered lollipop molds
(NOT the clear ones, they'll melt from the heat! They must state "tempered for high heat")
- Lollipop sticks
- Wooden spoon or spatula (Do not use plastic)
Good homemade lollipop flavours
Stronger flavours include lavender, mint, cherry and cinammon
More subtle flavours include orange, lemon and strawberry
With all flavours (particularly the more subtle ones) you can mix and match by adding a drop or two of vanilla flavouring
How to make homemade lollipops
1. In a pot (I recommend steel with a lip like the picture for easy pouring) pour sugar, light corn syrup, and water.
2. Attach the thermometer to the side of the pot. Make sure it doesn't touch the bottom of the pot or you'll get an incorrect reading.
3. Turn it on medium heat, stir and mix it together until all the sugar is dissolved. Check the thermometer again to make sure it's not on the bottom but not coming out of the mixture, either.
4. After everything is combined, stop stirring it. And keep it on medium heat the entire time.
5. While you're waiting for it to heat up to 250F / 121C, get out your molds and place them in an easy place for you to do your pouring. Take your non-stick spray and spray the molds. It's alright if it gets outside of the shape onto the rest. That's actually a good thing, because if the syrup overflows (which it most likely will on your first attempt) it'll be easier to remove. It'll just pop off when hard instead of sticking, which is a nightmare because the only way to remove it is to melt if off by hot water (which takes forever). So non-stick spray is imperative!
6. Now add the lollipop sticks to the mold. Always have this done before you pour. I've seen people either forget, or not add the lollipop sticks until after they've poured the lollipop syrup into their mold - and they had some nice burnt fingers as a result.
7. Now you play the waiting game. Wait until the thermometer reads 250F / 121C. Once it does, add your food colouring (liquid kind, not gel). I usually add about 3-4 drops. You do not need to stir it. The boiling will distribute the colour evenly. However if you still have a small spot that's just not getting coloured, just add another drop right in the place. That'll take care of it.
8. Now you wait again until the thermometer read 300F / 148C. Now take your mixture off the heat and, working quickly, add your flavouring and stir it in. Remove the thermometer.
9. Still working quickly, pour the mixture into your lollipop molds. The speed at which you pour is something you'll learn with experience. It's alright if you mess up the first time. I made teddy bears
10. Quickly take the pot and fill it up with hot water. The hot water will dissolve any extra candy. I let it sit for about ten minutes then empty it and melt off any remaining candy by running it under the hot water. Use the same method of cleaning for the spatula and thermometer.
11. Now most people wait fifteen minutes for the lollipops to cool before popping them out. However, I like to wait about thirty. I'd never go less then fifteen though because they'll be too bendable and not hard. They best way to determine if they're really ready to be popped out is to gently lift up the mold and feel the underside. If it's still hot wait longer.
Pop out and enjoy! I like to wrap my homemade lollipops in little clear treat baggies and tie with twist ties. Your homemade lollipops are perfect for yourself, or as party gifts, or (if you made heart shaped ones) as suckable treats at an Alice in Wonderland tea party. You Queen of Hearts, you.
More: How to make a pirate ship cake
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Nijigasumi says: I'm a 19 year-old Etsy business owner/designer/blogger (triple threat yea!). I live in Northern Florida and own said business with my mother. I have a love for bright colours and have a pretty bad addiction to nail polish, especially glitter polish (my nails hate me for that). I also enjoy throwing impromptu one-man dance parties in my room late at night. I'm most likely to be found in the kitchen making lollipops on weekends and working in my sweatshop. When I do decide to venture out of my cave I'm usually at anime conventions being that weird photographer that's following cosplayers. When I'm not stalking beautiful cosplayers I can be found chained to my vendor's table strutting my stuff and selling my Cyberlox and hair accessories with my gal pals. Visit my blog!
