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Old 04-05-2012, 11:35 PM
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Default Candy making

So my husband had always talked about how they made lollipops at Christmas time (along with the popcorn balls and fudge stuff they have continued to do) when he was kid and wondered aloud what happened to the cast iron molds for the suckers. I kept telling him "Your sister has them, she told me she has them" but he didn't hear me or anything. So his sister brought the molds with her last Christmas, and as a family we made lollipops on Christmas Eve. It was my and Kiddo's first time and hubby and his sisters hadn't done it for 25 years or so. It was fun and they were really beautiful when they were done...there was a train and a heart and a Santa and a few others.

I've never really made candy, but it was just sugar syrup and flavoring and food coloring...not hard. Today, I saw some candy gemstones on Pinterest and was all "I want my antique candy bowl to be be full of gemstones!" and found some molds (haven't bought them yet). They have all kinds of candy molds, really beautiful detailed ones like picture frames and cameos and fun ones like Legos.

Anyone ever make candy or use molds? Any recipes to share?

Last edited by LadyShea; 04-05-2012 at 11:49 PM.
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Old 04-05-2012, 11:47 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

HEY MATLOCK WHY DON'T YOU TELL THESE NICE PEOPLE ABOUT OUR CANDY CANES?

OK. I will. We used to make candy canes when I was a kid sometimes, and they were soooo much better than store boughten that Matlock's first Christmas here, we decided to make some.

So you know, you make the stuff, and then you have to pull it and twist it around into candycanes. But I don't remember how you did that without getting killed, because we were both killed. My brother was here and he was watching us and going, OH GOD STOP YOU ARE BOTH GOING TO DIE but we were both trying to impress each other being all hardcore or something because that was back when we used to care about that sort of thing. We had so many blisters after. We were both p. much completely degloved.

The candycanes were good, though. Almost no skin or blood or anything on them.
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  #3  
Old 04-05-2012, 11:51 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

So did you ask your brother to ask your sister or call your cousin to ask your mom how to make them without dying?
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Old 11-16-2013, 03:43 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

I am bumping this thread in case anyone decided to join me in candy making after all.

I followed the wrong recipe for candied apples, I should have probably boiled to soft crack but I did hard crack as per the dumbass recipe and they were inedible. Which was sad because the apples were perfectly sweet-tart and just the right size, and had the candy coating not been a Kevlar substitute it would have been yummeh.

So I am trying again. I want to make lemon drops. I found a historic recipe that uses straight lemon juice (which is plentiful here this time of year what with it raining citrus) and sugar, and a modern one that uses lemon extract and cream of tartar. I am leaning way over toward the 100 year old one.

What does anyone think? Will anyone even try with me so I have a partner in success or defeat?
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Old 11-16-2013, 04:04 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

My old boss made the most amazing candy, it was mind blowingly good.

I've never had good luck with candy making. I tried to make fondant but something went really wrong and I ended up with burned sugar.
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Old 11-16-2013, 04:16 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

vremya, what kind of candy did you boss make?
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Old 11-16-2013, 05:10 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

:giggle: This is weird timing because I kinda, sorta, not really engaged in "candy" making last night. I wanted to try that body sugaring stuff to see if it worked well for my skin. I have never so much as made caramel on my own.

So I got tipsy for bravery, watched Rosemary's Baby for body horror lulz, and made a huge mess while I scalded and skinned myself. I didn't have any of the proper gear so it turned out overly sticky. I definitely need a candy thermometer before I try it again.

Worked pretty well though, all things considered.

I would be interested in the lemon drop recipe, Shea. I am crazy for those and have a mountain of lemons right now.
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Old 11-16-2013, 11:19 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

Hundred-year-old recipe. No question. Lemon extract is gross.
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Old 11-16-2013, 12:50 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

Demi, you have to try it with me! I think I will drop some of them into or onto powdered sugar for the coating as stated here Homemade Lemon Drop Candy Recipe | Just A Pinch Recipes (anther take on this is here: http://cooklikeyourgrandmother.com/2...e-lemon-drops/)

I found it first here: How to Make Lemon Drops: 7 Steps - wikiHow which led me to:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13923...h.htm#Page_446

Quote:
LEMON DROPS.

Upon a coffeecupful of finely powdered sugar pour just enough lemon juice to dissolve it, and boil it to the consistency of thick syrup, and so that it appears brittle when dropped in cold water. Drop this on buttered plates in drops; set away to cool and harden.

Last edited by LadyShea; 11-16-2013 at 01:11 PM.
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  #10  
Old 11-16-2013, 01:23 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

I think I will use the blender to make fine sugar for mixing with lemon juice, because store boughten powdered sugar has corn starch
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Old 11-16-2013, 01:31 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

My former boss made caramel, fudge and other chocolate based stuff. (I love homemade caramel!!)

She used really high quality ingredients and that totally made the difference.
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Old 11-19-2013, 10:25 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

I will try the lemon drops with you, too.
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  #13  
Old 11-20-2013, 01:51 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

Yay, Janet and Demi! Okay. I think I can pick lemons tomorrow. When is good for you two. Also, will you be tweaking anything? How do you plan to make them?
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Old 11-20-2013, 09:04 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

I can probably pick them up today. I thought I'd go with your idea of grinding up my granulated sugar in a blender. I figure I will do the cracked sheet rather than individual drops.
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Old 11-20-2013, 09:57 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

I don't venture into candy-making much. I've only ever done pralines, which are not molded.

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Old 11-21-2013, 01:26 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

I still need to pick up a candy thermometer and am kinda in nurse mode. I most likely wontbbe able to get to it until next week. Y'all go ahead though and I can learn from your experience.
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  #17  
Old 11-21-2013, 01:32 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

I can't do it until this weekend. My lemons are coming tomorrow or Friday. It's still a week or so early, but the few I need should be ready

Maddog, these lemon drops we're trying aren't molded. Just drop on to a plate

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Old 11-21-2013, 01:38 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

Since I have all the citrus, I was also considering gum drops

Homemade Lemon Gum Drops Recipe, Gumdrops Recipe, Gum Drops Recipe, Candy Recipes, Lemon Recipes, Pectin Recipe

I have to make candy bags for over a dozen people this year, and am hoping to use homemade candies :)
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Old 11-21-2013, 03:07 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

I hope some of my now ex-neighbors send me a bunch of lemons. They moved to sunnier climes and we talked about a food exchange. I sent them a sampler of jams I made this year, dried chiles and hops (the husband brews beer. Hops are shockingly expensive to buy).
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Old 11-23-2013, 08:47 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

I has lemons. I has finely ground sugar. I has Silpat (no buttered plates for me!)

I has no juicer. Mama on the way with hers because mine is MIA.
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File Type: jpg silpat.JPG (138.4 KB, 3 views)
File Type: jpg lemons.JPG (97.7 KB, 2 views)
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Old 11-23-2013, 08:50 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

:eager:
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Old 11-23-2013, 09:07 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

I bought lemons last night, but I have a family dinner tonight. I plan to make mine tomorrow.
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Old 11-23-2013, 09:42 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

Attempt 1: FAIL my sugar caramelized well before 300 degrees and the whole thing turned the color of root beer. I can taste the intense lemon under the burnt sugar, so think it will work, in theory, but I need to think a minute about the possible cause. Imprecise thermometer is my first thought, so maybe I will go the old fashioned cold water route.

Yeah my fuck up. The 300 degrees in my head was from the many other recipes I've been reading and not this one. Starting over after a cig break
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Old 11-23-2013, 11:10 PM
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Default Re: Candy making

Attempt 2 with Kiddo's help: Final outcome still unknown but much better so far.

Changes made:
Much smaller batch
Dissolved sugar more thoroughly
Stirred constantly
Started cold water testing as soon as thickening began
Poured onto buttered marble slab and used buttered pastry scrapers then my hands to pull (pull apart, smoosh together, repeat) until cool enough to roll in a ball, rolled balls in powdered sugar, put on sugar dusted plate. They spread so keep checking that they aren't touching

Hardening (hopefully) now

ETA: Nope, in my paranoia I didn't cook it long enough. Try again tomorrow I guess.

Last edited by LadyShea; 11-24-2013 at 01:26 AM.
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Old 11-24-2013, 11:19 AM
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Default Re: Candy making

All the attempts that don't work well enough will have to be disposed of. I'll undertake that arduous task.
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