This is an easily adaptable recipe for pretty much any flavor. I went with orange, but switch to raspberry, strawberry, lemon or any extract you have on hand and change the food color accordingly. If you want to make these truly vegan, use agar powder and organic sugar to avoid any animal products.
Makes 50 to 60 candies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (300 grams) cold water, divided
- 2 tablespoons gelatin or agar powder
- 2 cups (396 grams) granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- ½ teaspoon orange extract
- 3 – 4 drops food coloring
Instructions
Make the Gumdrops
- Add ½ cup of water to a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin or agar powder over the top. Set aside and allow to bloom.
- In a small saucepan, add the remaining ¾ cup water and sugar and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and cook until it reaches hardball stage, 250 to 266°F.
- Remove from heat, stir in the bloomed gelatin or agar, orange extract and food coloring until melted and combined.
- Pour the mixture into molds and allow to set overnight. Remove from the molds, roll in sugar and serve. Balance can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.
