Making Lollipops; cooking liquids & time & moulds & candy thermometers

[effyrose]

(1) Instead of using all the liquid during the cooking stage, is it possible to add half the liquid during cooking and a quater-half after it's been taken off the stove.

eg. if the recipe called for 400 ml of water, could you use 100-200ml when cooking the syrup (making a thicker syrup), adding the rest of the water after it's been taken off the heat (at the same time you'd normally add the colouring/flavouring).


(2) How long do the lollipops take to harden? Do they have to be hardened in the fridge or do they just air dry?


(3) Is it possible to make them in ice cube moulds or do you have to buy specialist lollipop moulds? If so, where can I buy them in London?


(4) Where can I buy a candy thermometre? Are there any mainstream places like Asda, Tesco etc where I can buy one?

[Dough Boy]

Welcome to the forum, effyrose. My first question for you is why are you trying to alter a recipe that you are obviously making for the first time? It sounds as thought you have not properly prepared yourself for candy making by doing your due diligence by studying in the areas of equipment and techniques. Perhaps a bit of reading would help you along, and using phrases in Google like "making lollipops" to get more information.

BYW, Herrods in London has everything you need for baking.

[Big Daddy's House]

Welcome to the forum, Effyrose!

Candy is one of the things that I've never tried to make.

[effyrose]

Welcome to the forum, effyrose. My first question for you is why are you trying to alter a recipe that you are obviously making for the first time? It sounds as thought you have not properly prepared yourself for candy making by doing your due diligence by studying in the areas of equipment and techniques. Perhaps a bit of reading would help you along, and using phrases in Google like "making lollipops" to get more information.

BYW, Herrods in London has everything you need for baking.

I'm altering it because I want it to be alcoholic, and there are no available recipes for alcoholic lollies on the internet.

[samue1eb]

Good luck with the candy making. It's a craft that I am still trying to learn, it's been one of my biggest challenges in the kitchen.

[KassandraCarissaMurray]

hi effyrose Welcome to the forum, hope you made a delicious candy

[JulietMylaOwen]

Welcome to the forum, Effyrose!

best of luck with the candy making.

[awesomeapril]

(1) Instead of using all the liquid during the cooking stage, is it possible to add half the liquid during cooking and a quater-half after it's been taken off the stove.

eg. if the recipe called for 400 ml of water, could you use 100-200ml when cooking the syrup (making a thicker syrup), adding the rest of the water after it's been taken off the heat (at the same time you'd normally add the colouring/flavouring).


(2) How long do the lollipops take to harden? Do they have to be hardened in the fridge or do they just air dry?


(3) Is it possible to make them in ice cube moulds or do you have to buy specialist lollipop moulds? If so, where can I buy them in London?


(4) Where can I buy a candy thermometre? Are there any mainstream places like Asda, Tesco etc where I can buy one?

No, because you can't stir the sugar very much when it is still cooking. To incorporate that much liquid I would imagine you would have to stir it quite a bit and this would make it crystalize. You said you were trying to add alcohol to them? You'd have to add it while it was still very hot and the alcohol would just evaporate.

putting lollipops in the fridge is a bad idea. It would raise the temp of your fridge and make the lollipops sticky on the outside.

I don't think it would be worth it to buy molds on your first try. If you do buy them make sure they are not the ones meant for chocolate use. I recommend making the lollipops where you poor them out onto a sil. pad.

I would start with making the recipe as written first and them making modifications.

I think any large department store should have them if you look in the kitchen section

Another bit of advice is to google the hell out of it. Not just for recipes but for how sugar cooking works, like most sciences it is based off of basic principals that will help you alter recipes better. The internet is a wonderful place if you know how to look.

[CristinaEvelinRoberts]

candy never tried to make.

[CookingWithScience]

Candy is one of those things that I will probably never master -- hard candies (not chocolate, etc) I'll give it a try eventually -- but I can't guarantee anything. :P