Hansel & Gretel’s Lemonade Gumdrops by Little Miss Marmalade

Hi there! I was super excited when Kelsey asked me to be a part of her Summer Break Series at Poofy Cheeks. I’m a newbie blogger, and she’s been so helpful and supportive—thanks, Kelsey! I’m Hollie from Little Miss Marmalade, a new blog dedicated to crafts and creations inspired by classic lit. Love Alice in Wonderland? Are you a Wizard of Oz fan? How about Grimm’s Fairy Tales or Sherlock Holmes? Well, I’ll be sharing lots of tutorials on how to make crafts and yummy bites for kids and adults alike.
One of my favorite childhood stories was Hansel and Gretel. What child wouldn’t love to discover a candy cottage in the woods? I always think of gumdrops dotting the rooftop or perhaps outlining the windows. My summer-inspired twist for this classic is a recipe called Hansel & Gretel’s Lemonade Gumdrops. Popular summer flavors of lemonade, strawberry and raspberry are all reflected in this sweet treat. Enjoy!

Makes 32 servings
Ingredients

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup granulated sugar + extra for rolling
• 1-1/2 cups Lemonade Syrup (see recipe below)
• 6 tablespoons powdered fruit pectin (I used Ball brand Classic Pectin)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions
1. Line a 9 x 5-inch baking pan with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside for later.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine corn syrup and 1 cup sugar. Heat on medium-high temperature, stirring constantly with a wooden or silicone spoon, until boiling and sugar is melted (4–5 minutes). Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan.
3. Lower heat a little and cook mixture until 280 degrees F (soft crack), about 8–9 minutes.
4. In a separate medium saucepan, bring to a boil 1/2 cup Lemonade Syrup, pectin and baking soda, stirring constantly.
5. Once the mixture in the first saucepan has reached 280 degrees F, slowly add it to the mixture in the second saucepan, stirring constantly to combine. Next, mix in 1 tablespoon lemon zest.
6. Pour mixture into baking pan. Let cool and set for 3 hours. Lift candy out of pan by pulling up on sides of foil. Remove foil and place candy slab onto a cutting board. Cut candy into 1-inch pieces and then roll each piece in sugar until coated on all sides.
*For Strawberry Lemonade Gumdrops, replace lemon zest in step 5 with 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped strawberries.
*For Raspberry Lemonade Gumdrops, replace lemon zest in step 5 with 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped raspberries.

Lemonade Syrup
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil lemon juice, water and sugar, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest. Let sit for 5 minutes. Pour Lemon Syrup through a strainer and into a pitcher. Use right away or store in refrigerator until ready to use.