Valentine Lollipops

Every year, for the past nine years - ever since Rebekah was in Kindergarten - I have made lollipops for the kids to give out for Valentines Day. Last year, that plan was foiled (on the 12th) by a note from school saying that there could be no food in valentines. I still made them for non-school friends, and sent them to cousins & other special friends - but the school thing was a bummer .

This year, I had decided not to make them. I had other things for Emily & Jacob to give out, and I was just going to blow off sending stuff to the cousins. I just wasn't feeling it for lollipops this year.

So Saturday night before Valentines Day I was putting together the stuff for Em & Jake to give to their church friends the next day while Rebekah, Rick & I watched a movie.
I had this conversation with bek.

me; "bek, do you want me to make you some of these cute treat bags to give out to your friends for Valentine's?"
R; "No, I want to give out lollipops."
me; "Oh yeah, I wasn't going to make them this year."
R; "WHAT!"
me; "I just kind of couldn't be bothered."
R; "Could you just make one batch???"
me; "Why don't you write a list of the friends you'd like to give them to, and I'll see how many you need and then decide."

she wrote the list - 36!

I decided if I was going to make 36, I may as well make 66 and send them to cousins too! AND, if I was going to do that, I should make them that night so I could get them in the mail on Monday. So, I stayed up super late making them all. I'm glad I did, and didn't break the tradition. I thought about it as I cooked - of course they meant more to Rebekah than the other kids, it's all she's ever given out for Valentine's Day, and she probably can't remember a February without them. I'm also glad traditions like this still hold meaning for her.

So here are some shots of how I made valentine lollipops for the 10th straight year! (BTW, I don't know how Lindsey gets all those shots when she cooks. I often needed both hands, and didn't have one free for the camera, so there are several steps missing from the photo's!)

Candy Recipe
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup karo syrup
1/2 tsp flavoring
tiny drop coloring

I love these molds. I got them from Martha by Mail. A few are broken, and they are on their last legs - but the lollipops are thick, and the shapes great. I wish they would carry them again, so I could get more. The little stick holding clips that came with them broke long ago, so I now use these bulldog clips. Tricky to get perfect, but they work!

Spray the molds lightly with cooking spray.

I also use these plastic candy molds. Heart shaped, and cute, but not as thick.

Put all ingredients in heavy saucepan, and cook on high. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water every so often (to prevent crystalizing.)

Keep at a rolling boil until it reaches hard crack stage. See that tiny dot of color above the red line on the thermometer? It's actually a section that has separated, and is the real temp reading. It's also why I burned the 1st batch!

(Note to self - buy new candy thermometer!)

Have an ice-bath ready to put the pan into as soon as the temp is reached to stop the cooking. It will make a lot of noise as you plunge the pan in - I actually think this part is kind of fun!

Then quickly add color & flavoring. Most recipes say to add 1 tsp, but I use these great natural flavorings, and they are pretty strong. I also like a more subtle flavor. I only add 1/2 tsp. I like the color to be pretty light too - so just use the tiniest drop of color, or dip a toothpick in for a small amount.

Mix in quickly, while in ice bath.

Pour into prepared molds. Don't bother trying to stop the stream of candy as you pour, or it will harden before you've used it all & be stuck in the pan. Just thin it as you go from shape to shape, and it will crack off easily later.

Seriously, I LOVE these molds. They really need to make more!

In the original directions, it says to pour excess into a greased muffin tin to harden before discarding. I say why dirty a muffin tin? I just pour the little remaining candy onto the Silpat - then after it hardens (faster than it would in a muffin tin), I just peel it up & toss it.

After they come out of the molds, I put them on a plate until they are all done. I just put wax paper between the layers.

Then I wrap them in cellophane, and tie with ribbon. I didn't love the red, I usually use white, so it doesn't detract from the cool lollipop colors - but it was last minute, and was all I had.

Yum, Yum!