Homemade Sweet Tarts Candy

Sweet and sour all wrapped up in one tiny magnificent bite!

That would be my definition of homemade sweet tarts and making them was so much easier than I ever imagined. They don't have that semi-shiny coating on the outside (because I didn't want to put food in a rock tumbler!!!) but the flavor and texture are the same!!

Homemade Sweet Tarts
1/4 c. clear soda (Blue Sky, Cream Soda, Sierra Mist, 7-UP)
3/4 t. gelatin
3-4 c. powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
2 t. citric acid
Flavored extracts
Food coloring
1/2 t. each of lemon and orange zest - optional

In a small non-reactive bowl combine gelatin and soda. After about 5 minutes, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water to dissolve the gelatin completely - until you can't see any granules. Remove from heat.

Using a hand or stand mixer - mix 1/2 c. powdered sugar and the citric acid into the gelatin mixture. Keep adding the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you have stiff fondant-like dough. It will be somewhat sticky. Turn dough out onto a work surface covered with powdered sugar. Knead until dough is less sticky and can be easily rolled with a rolling pin. In this particular recipe more powdered sugar is better than less so you don't end up with a chewy sweet tart, unless you like them chewy!

This is the basic recipe. Now you can add what ever flavorings and colors you wish.

Once the basic dough recipe is finished divide dough into as many equal pieces as flavorings you have to use. I divided mine into four equal pieces so I chose four extracts (and matching food colorings) - Lemon, Orange, Strawberry and Blueberry.

Starting with one piece of dough make a well in the middle and add:
1/4 t. of flavoring/extract
food coloring - to desired color
1/2 t. zest - optional - I used this only in the orange and lemon varieties.

Knead until cohesive. Set aside while you mix the other colors and flavors.

Starting with one color/flavor of dough roll out to 1/4 inch thickness. I used 1/4 inch square dowels as guides. It makes the drying more consistent this way.

Using a small round cookie cutter (about 1/2 inch in diameter), cut out as many circles as you can and transfer cut-outs to a baking sheet to dry. Collect scraps and re-roll and cut continuing until dough is gone.

Drying may take a few days so be patient. If you have a food dehydrator you can speed the drying process significantly! Don't try to put them in the oven, however, even on warm. They will not dry smooth and will have bumps and indents. Trust me I tried it once!!!

Roll sweet tarts in candy wrappers if desired or store in an airtight container for up to three months. Don't worry they will be gone before that! They also make great party snacks or a good addition to a goodie bag. They are mess free!

Homemade Lemon Drops

I couldn't stop smiling after I made these! In fact, I am smiling right now while I am eating one! It took me right back to my childhood. My dad always had a bag of lemon drops in his car and I loved going on random and pointless car rides just so I could savor the tart and sour little drops of sunshine!

Don't be intimidated by this recipe just because it calls for a candy thermometer. If you have a bit of patience lemon drops are easy!

Since I had never made lemon drop candy before I wanted to use an existing recipe instead of trying to come up with my own. I found this one that looked easy enough to follow. I used a half recipe from what the blog did and I formed them differently. So here is the recipe with my take on shaping them.

Lemon Drop Candy - (From chocswirl.wordpress.com - Adapted from Field Guide to Candy by Anita Chu)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 t. cream of tartar
1/4 c. water
1 t. citric acid
1/4 t. lemon extract
yellow food coloring
powdered sugar for rolling - 1-2 T.

Coat a plastic scraper with butter and have a silpat ready. If you don't have a silpat a marble slab was recommended in the original recipe.

Preheat oven to warm.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat combine sugar, cream of tartar and water. Stir just until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring and attach a Sur La Table Candy & Deep Fry Thermometer (Google Affiliate Ad) to the side of the pan. Continue boiling mixture until it reaches 300 degrees F (or hard ball stage).

Pour hot mixture immediately onto silpat. Silpats come in different sizes. Pick on that fits in one of your sheet pans. I like the silpat brand - Sur La Table® Silpat® Baking Mats 8.25" x 11.75" (Google Affiliate Ad). Sprinkle citric acid, lemon extract and coloring onto the sugar mixture.

Using a buttered scraper (of some kind) mix ingredients until combined. The mixture will initially stick all over the scraper but will eventually come together into one cohesive glob of sugar!

While the mixture is still hot pull or cut pieces off and roll them in your hands to form a sphere or egg shape. Be careful not to burn your hands. The mixture should feel hot but not hot enough to burn your skin. If it is, wait for it to cool some.

Since the mixture is hot the lemon drops will ultimately be flattened on one side. Or at least mine were!

Roll the formed lemon drops in powdered sugar (or cornstarch) to coat. This way they will not all stick to each other!
 
Tip - If you find that the sugar is hardening too quickly to shape the pieces put them in the warm oven to reheat the sugar. You will be able to shape them again once they soften a bit.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

Homemade Candy (Conversation) Hearts

I always looked forward to getting those tiny boxes filled with candy hearts for Valentine's Day. I distinctly remember the chalky hard texture that made them so enjoyable.

Making candy hearts turned out to be much easier than I had anticipated. If you have ever worked with or made fondant it is a very similar texture but dries much faster. I was amazed that the flavor and texture was almost identical to the store bought candy hearts. I made my hearts a little bigger than the real thing to save some sanity and time! They are each about the size of a quarter.

They do take some patience as they have to dry for 48 hours!

Candy Heart Recipe - adapted from bravetart.com
3/4 t. Powdered Gelatin
1/4 c. Clear Soda, of your choice
3 c. Powdered Sugar 
Food Coloring
Flavored Extracts

In a small mixing bowl dissolve gelatin in soda. After about 5 minutes, set the bowl over a pot of simmering water to melt the gelatin completely - until you can't see any granules.

Use a hand or stand mixer and mix in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Keep adding the powdered sugar until you have stiff fondant-like dough. It will be somewhat sticky.

Turn the dough out onto the counter top and knead until smooth adding more powdered sugar if necessary. Divide dough into as many portions as you would like colors/flavors.

Make a sort of bowl shape out of one of the pieces of dough. Pour in flavored extracts and add food coloring. I made my candy hearts peppermint-vanilla (light pink and dark pink hearts) and vanilla bean (white hearts). Knead in the colors and flavors until well combined. Taste a piece of dough and add more extract if there is not enough. :)

Roll the dough to about 1/4” thickness and cut out shapes using small cookie cutters.

**I like to use square wooden dowels as guides for my rolling pin to make sure the thickness is the same throughout. This will make drying even amongst all of the candy hearts.

Arrange the candies on a parchment lined baking sheet and let dry for 48 hours. I know this is a long time but it takes that long to get them hard. Flip the hearts over occasionally to assure even drying on both sides.

Once the hearts are completely dry you can stamp them with what ever message you would like.  If the hearts are two-tones they are not dry yet.

Using a clean and new paint brush spread a thin layer of food coloring onto a small saucer. Press small, clean and new letter stamps into the food coloring and stamp onto the hearts! Repeat until you have stamped all the messages you want. Let the food coloring dry before eating to avoid red lips and tongue!! :P