Lollipops!

Last fall, when I hosted one of the Bat Rabbit's Halloween Teas, I had the brilliant idea of making homemade  lollipops as favors.  They turned out to be much easier than I anticipated.  Here is the basic recipe I followed:

2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup (I used clear Kyro syrup)

¾ cup water

1 dram  candy flavoring  (I used LorAnn Apple flavor)

½ tsp. food coloring (I used the coloring I already had and added it until I was happy with the color.)

Prep lollipop sticks on a silpat and/or parchment paper (wax paper will NOT work) covered cookie sheet.  Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in 2 qt. saucepan.  Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.  Bring mixture to boil without stirring.  When syrup temperature reaches 260 degrees Fahrenheit, add color.  Do not stir; boiling action will incorporate color into syrup.  Remove from heat at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  After boiling action ceases, stir in flavoring – avoid rising steam when stirring.  Free form pour the syrup by the spoonful over lollipop sticks.  

The most important thing is to watch the temperature and follow the instruction to a tea (see what I did there).

I wanted to make these cute little green monter'ish lollipops.  I used a neon green food coloring and candy eyes.

First, I laid out the lollipop sticks and eyes that will need to put on the lollipops.

I do not have any pictures of me actually cooking up the mixture.  I had to pay close attention to what was going on in order not to burn either the candy nor me.  Sorry about that.  

You can get an idea of how I poured the hot candy over the sticks in the photo below.  Once all the lollipops had been poured, I immediately placed the eyes on the lollipops.  While all the ones below have two eyes, I also had some with one and a few with three eyes.

Once the lollipops hardened, I placed them in clear bags and tied a lovely contrasting black ribbon around the bottom to close them.

I thought they turned out right well!