How to Make Herb Lollipops
[Recipe adapted from Intimate Weddings]INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2/3 cup of water
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2-3 drops of extract or other oil for flavor
• minced herbs
SUPPLIES
• Medium sized pot
• Spoon
• Lollipop/candy mold sticks
• Lollipop molds (you could also use this powdered sugar mold method)
• Plastic treat bags
INSTRUCTIONS
Spray lollipop molds with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the sugar, cream of tartar, and water in a medium sized pot. Heat over medium and continue to stir as the sugar dissolves. Boil the mixture until it reaches 290 degrees F. (If you don't use a candy thermometer, you can test that it's reached the hard-crack stage, by dropping a bit of the mixture in a glass of cold water. It will immediately harden before sinking. This means the mixture is ready and will harden properly in the molds.)
Take if off the heat and mix in your flavoring and herbs. This gives the mixture a few seconds to cool. When it's no longer bubbling, pour into your molds. Allow to cool about a hour. If you're not serving them right away, wrap in plastic favor bags and store in fridge or cool dry place.
Lollipop Making Tips
If you want to make clear lollipops, watch for the hard-crack stage very carefully. The sugars start to caramelize shortly after reaching the hard-crack stage, so you'll end up with honey-colored lollipops if it boils too long. But those are pretty too!
If you're making a large quantity, make individual batches instead of doubling to prevent the mixture from hardening before you get it all poured. You could also make several different batches to get a range of different flavored lollies.
And the possibilities for these herb lollipops are just about endless. Vanilla mint, strawberry basil, honey lemon rosemary... just about any combination of fruit, herbs, and extracts that you can dream up. The flavors I photographed are purple basil and basil and lemon. And they would be great in more than just lemonade.
Herb lollipops would be great additions to cocktails or tea, which makes this a very versitale DIY project. Whether you're making them for a tea party bridal shower or adding them to cocktails at your rehearsal dinner, your guests will be talking about (and instagramming) your deliciously cute lollies.
- Caitlin
All photos and tutorial created by Caitlin Gerres. Some of the above product links were the actual products I used and purchasing through these affiliate links helps support future DIY projects. You can find our full affiliate disclosure policy here on Tidewater and Tulle.
