TUTORIAL: How to Make Old-fashioned Sugar Lollipops

I know, I know..It's been aaaaages since I last posted a tutorial, but you know how it is: children out of school, the heat, the work , the beach that beckons... :)

Anywho, today I have a sweet treat for you! Home-made Old-Fashioned Sugar Lollipops!! :)

I have tried in vain to find these sort of lollipops here in France, and they cost a lot to deliver from anywhere else in Europe - And what's a girl supposed to do for her parties? Make her own off course!!! :)

The original recipe was found at this French site, but I had no lemon juice to hand (and I'm so impatient I could not wait 'till the next day to go get some...) so I substituted it with honey. Yes, clear honey! 

I also remembered making sugar stands once upon a time and using golden syrup. But as golden syrup is also not readily available in France, I ALWAYS substitute it with clear, runny, honey. See? There is method (sort of) to my madness! :)

Ingredients: Makes about 20 lollipops

* 250g caster sugar

* 80g water

* 80g clear runny, honey

* Lemon or other flavouring

* Liquid food colouring

* Wooden skewers

Sugar thermometer: OPTIONAL. I do not have one, and I'll tell you how to do it without one.

How to:

1. Place some grease-proof paper on your worktops or any flat surface. Then, in a heavy-based large (about 2 litres or 4 pints) pan mix sugar, water and honey until well mixed.

2. Place the pan on a medium heat and bring to the boil. TIP: If your pan in not large enough, the sugar will tend to rise and want to bubble over the top of your pan. If you see this is happening (it did to me..) just lay a wooden spoon across the top of your pan. As soon as the sugar reaches the spoon it will not want to boil over too much...

3. If you have a sugar thermometer, then let your mixture boil until it reaches 160 deg C.

If you do not have a thermometer: Let your mixture boil away. To test if your sugar is ready, just drip a few drops of the sugar into a cup with cold water. If the sugar solidifies, (has to be brittle) then it's ready! My mixture took about 5-10 minutes to reach this stage.

This is very important, because if you take the sugar out too soon, it will not set! :)

4. Take the mixture off the heat (be careful it is vvvvv HOT!), then drop into the pan a few drops of flavouring (3 drops should do) and the colouring. 

I used red liquid colouring (NOT the gel or paste) and stir with a wooden spoon to mix the colour well. I added about 10 drops of red to get this colour you see in the photos. Add more or less colour as you wish.

 Cute with party labels too! ;)

5. Drop about a tablespoon's worth of mixture onto the grease-proof paper, making a circle of about 2" or 5cm, and place your skewers in the middle of this "puddle", rotating the skewer to coat it's tip.

6. Let it dry completely for about 2 hours or so.

7. It will be sticky still, but now you can package them in cellophane paper and tie a ribbon to secure the paper in place. Stick a pretty party topper on as label (I used ones from my Garden Party Collection), and you're good to go!

These suckers will keep up to 1 month in an hermetically sealed container.

More Lollipop and Candy Party Ideas HERE

And have fun sucking!! :)

Linking to these Blog parties!

Oh, if you make this or any other goodies inspired by Tutorials you see here, you can add your photos to Bird Crafts on Flickr at: Inspired by Bird Crafts