Gingerbread lollipops offer the wonderful lingering flavor of gingerbread, and also make a great stocking stuffer! Another personal recipe from author, Ann Tarpley Francesco, you will enjoy making them and sharing them!
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup water
1 tbsp. Ann’s gingerbread spice mix (adjust to your taste)
Lollipop sticks
Lollipop molds of your choice
Candy thermometer
DIRECTIONS:
Spray molds with No-Stick Cooking Spray. (I use PAM)
Place lollipop sticks in the molds.
In a 3 ½ quart pot, mix sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Add gingerbread spice and stir until dissolved.
Insert a candy thermometer making sure it does not touch the bottom of the pot. Use a candy thermometer that has a clip on it, so you can clip it to the side of the pot and adjust it accordingly.
Bring mixture to a boil without stirring.
Early on, wash down the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization.
Cook syrup without stirring until the mixture reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage) This may take 15 minutes or so. Be patient!
Remove from heat and immediately pour into a glass measuring cup with a spout. (I use a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup to facilitate the pouring process)
Quickly pour into molds.
Wait until the lollipops harden. It will not take long.
If done correctly, the lollipops should pop right out of the molds.
Lollipops were invented by George Smith of New Haven, Connecticut, who started making large boiled sweets mounted on sticks in 1908. The name was inspired by a famous racehorse named Lolly Pop.
July 20th is National Lollipop Day! Have you ordered The Gingerbread Train Gift Set, so you can make your very own Gingerbread Train cookies? CLICK HERE
