Gummy candies and gumdrops are my absolute favourites when it comes to candies. Even as a child, I always preferred them. They are fun to make and very customizable, which makes them great for birthday parties or gatherings in general. You can shape these little fruity gems using fun moulds, miniature muffin tins, ice cube trays or you can cut them into cubes, whatever suits your needs. And they are certainly more flavourful than anything you can buy in a store.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons cold water
20 grams unflavoured gelatine
6 tablespoons cold water
200 grams sugar
1 teaspoon apricot extract
½ teaspoon orange colour (optional)
50 grams sugar (for coating the candies)
Preparation
First, activate the gelatine. Sprinkle the powdered unflavoured gelatine over 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) of cold water, mix it well and leave it to bloom, about 15 minutes. Take a heavy-bottomed saucepan, tip in the sugar and shake it to create an even layer of sugar. Pour another 6 tablespoons (⅜ cup) of cold water over the sugar and place it on high heat. When it comes to a boil, cook it for exactly 1 minute, then turn the heat down to medium low and cook for another 5 minutes.
When the sugar is cooked, pour it over the gelatine and mix well, until the gelatine is completely melted. At this point you can add the extract of your choice and food colouring, if you wish. Once the mixture is well blended, pour it into moulds. You can also pour it in a baking dish (lightly greased or sprayed, for easier release) and later cut it into cubes. Leave the moulds (or baking dish) in a cool place (but not in the fridge) for at least 4 hours, or until the candies are firm to the touch. Remove from the moulds and roll them in sugar. Yields 15 large (1-inch) gummy candies.
