As the holiday season approaches, this tasty recipe is sure to be a hit at Christmas or New Year’s celebrations or as a gift. Winter, the peak of citrus season, is the perfect time to make these delectable holiday-themed gumdrops!
Preparation:
Before baking, you will need an 8-by-4 inch loaf pan. Use aluminum foil to line the pan, leaving extra foil over the edges to act as handles when you remove the candy. Then, use cooking spray, butter, or margarine to grease the foil. It is also best to measure out all of the ingredients before starting as candy making is a time sensitive process. Ready 2 pots that can hold at least 2 quarts on two stovetop burners. You will need a candy or cooking grade thermometer that can record high temperatures.
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup fresh grapefruit or lime juice
1 teaspoon finely minced grapefruit or lime zest
1.75 ounce powdered fruit pectin (sold in packets this size)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-2 drops red or green food coloring
Additional 1/2 cup granulated sugar for dusting the finished gumdrops
Directions:
In one of the pots, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Turn the heat to medium-high and stir continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture comes to a steady boil. Then, stop stirring, reduce the heat to medium, and continue heating until the mixture has reached 280 degrees Fahrenheit. (You will need a candy thermometer). This is also known as the “soft-crack” stage in candy-making. This heating will take around 7-10 minutes.
While this mixture is heating, you will need to work with the rest of the ingredients. In the second pot, combine the grapefruit or lime juice, pectin, and baking soda. Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly. Turn off the heat for this pot as soon as a boil is reached. As for the first pot, turn off the heat immediately after the mixture reaches 280 degrees. If the heat is off for the citrus juice mixture, bring it back to a boil. Then, slowly pour the sugar/syrup mixture from the first pot into the second pot and heat and stir for about one minute.
When that time is up, turn off the heat and add the zest and food coloring to the mixture. Pour the finished product into the prepared loaf pan. Let the mixture cool for at least two hours. Finally, use the foil handles to lift the block from the pan to a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife cut the block into 1 by 1 inch cubes; you will have a yield of 32 gumdrops. Roll the gumdrops in the extra sugar (you can use dyed sugar for additional holiday spirit!) and store in an airtight container or immediately enjoy!
