With temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s, and bright blue skies, it is looking as though for the first time that I can ever remember, I might not have a white Christmas.  Now I would guess there are many folks that would welcome the thought of mild temperatures for the holidays, but to me it is devastating.  How can you have a Christmas without snow?  I knew that when I moved from the mountains to Denver, that there would be less cold and winter, which actually has been nice, but for the first time in the dozen years since I moved to town, none?

So me being me, determined to enjoy my holiday as always, even without cold and snow, I decided to try to bring a little winter into the kitchen.  Ice and snow is what is missing for me, and if I can’t have the real thing, well I can try to make some.

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Lollipops

Hard candies molded into colorful lollipops are a great treat for people of all ages.

Course Candy

Cuisine American, Holiday

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ cup water
• 1½ teaspoon flavored extract or 4 – 5 drops LorAnn oils optional
• 3 - 4 drops Food coloring or Americolor soft Gel Paste optional
• Lollipop molds and sticks available at cake supply or craft stores

Instructions

• Prepare your molds by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray and inserting lollipop sticks into the molds.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Once boiling, insert a candy thermometer.
• Allow to boil, without stirring, until candy reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit (Hard crack stage).
• Once the candy reaches 300° F, remove it from heat. Allow it to sit until it stops bubbling completely (this allows the air bubbles to escape in order to produce a clear candy).
• Stir in the flavoring of your choice, and coloring if desired.
• Add some edible glitter to give the lollipops some added sparkle.
• Working quickly, spoon the candy into the mold cavities, making sure to cover the back of the stick.
• Caution: Serious burns can be caused from working with melted sugar. Use extreme caution! If sugar comes in contact with your skin, hold it immediately under cold running water.
• Allow to cool completely and remove from mold when hardened.
• Clean pans and utensils by soaking in very hot water. It may seem that you will never be able to use your pans and spoons again, but don’t worry, the hot water will melt all the sugar off.
• Store Lollipops individually wrapped, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.   Candy bags are available at cake supply and craft stores.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately one dozen lollipops.  The number you yield will depend on the size of your molds.  Be sure to have enough molds to hold all of your melted sugar at once.