Yield: 72 Servings
Measure | Ingredient |
---|---|
1 cup | Sugar |
1 cup | Light corn syrup |
¾ cup | Water |
1 pack | (1 3/4-ounce) powdered fruit pectin |
½ teaspoon | Baking soda |
1½ teaspoon | Orange extract |
1 teaspoon | Finely shredded orange peel |
4 \N | Drops yellow food coloring |
1 \N | Drop red food coloring |
\N \N | Sugar |
Line a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with foil, extending foil over edges of the pan.
Butter the foil; set pan aside. Butter the sides of a heavy 1½-quart saucepan. In the saucepan combine the 1 cup sugar and the corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. This should take about 10 minutes. Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan. Carefully clip candy thermometer to side of pan.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, till the thermometer registers 280 deg.F., soft-crack stage. Mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over the entire surface. Reaching soft-crack stage should take about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a heavy 2-quart saucepan combine water, pectin, and baking soda. (Mixture will be foamy.) Cook over high heat to boiling, stirring constantly. This should take about 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; set saucepan aside.
When sugar mixture has reached soft-crack stage, remove the saucepan from heat; remove candy thermometer from saucepan. Return pectin mixture to high heat; cook till mixture just begins to simmer.
_Gradually_ pour the hot sugar mixture in a thin stream (slightly less than ⅛-inch diameter) into the boiling pectin mixture, stirring constantly. This should take 1 to 2 minutes. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute more.
Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in orange extract, orange peel, and yellow and red food colorings. Pour candy mixture into prepared pan.
Let stand about 2 hours or till firm.
When firm, use foil to lift candy out of pan. Use a buttered knive to cut candy into about ¾-inch squares. Roll squares in additional sugar. Store loosely covered. Makes about 72 pieces.
Cinnamon Gumdrops: Prepare Orange Gumdrops as directed above, except substitute 3 drops oil of cinnamon and 7 drops red food coloring for the orange extract, orange peel, and yellow and red food colorings.
Mint Gumdrops: Prepare Orange Gumdrops as directed above, except substitute ¾ teaspoon mint extract and 7 drops green food coloring for the orange extract, orange peel, and yellow and red food colorings.
Lemon Gumdrops: Prepare Orange Gumdrops as directed above, except substitute 1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract, 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel, and 7 drops yellow food coloring for the orange extract, orange peel, and yellow and red food colorings.
Hope this helps. Kyosho