Patriotic Lollipops

 Welcome back to our Fourth of July celebration! Today we have Shoshana, a talented chef from Couldn't Be Parve sharing these unique lollipops!

 

Flag Lollipops

(adapted from LorAnn Oils)

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
3/8 cup water
1/2 teaspoon super-strength flavoring (I used concentrated lemon oil)
Red, white and blue jelly beans
lollipop sticks
cellophane bags for wrapping the lollipops.

Have all ingredients and tools assembled and within easy reach of the stove. The use of metal spoons and measuring utensils is recommended. Set two silpat mats near the stove (cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and sprayed with cooking spray will work too). Space lollipop sticks approximately six inches apart on the prepared mat.

In a medium saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Insert candy thermometer making certain it does not touch the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, without stirring. Early in the cooking process, you can “wash down” any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.

Remove from heat precisely at 300° F (temperature will continue rising), or until drops of syrup form hard, brittle threads in cold water. After boiling action has ceased, add flavor and stir.

Pour syrup into a heatproof pyrex measuring cup. Pour a half dollar sized circle of syrup over the end of one of the lollipop sticks. Working quickly place three blue jelly beans on top of the syrup on the left side. Be careful not to touch the syrup as it is very hot. Make rows of red and white jelly beans to complete the flag pattern. Repeat with the remaining syrup. If the syrup cools off too much to work with re-warm it in 15 second intervals in the microwave until it is pourable.

Once the lollipops are set enough to lift, but still warm, lift them off the sheet. Using a sharp scissors trim any excess lollipop from around the jelly beans to make the lollipops more flag shaped. (It helps to warm the scissors before doing this).

Wrap the finished lollipops in cellophane bags and secure with a twist tie.

Supplies available at Craft Warehouse:

Lollipop Sticks
Cellophane bags

Visit Couldn't Be Parve on Facebook and Twitter and take a look at her recipe list on her blog.