How to Make Sweets and Candy With Recipes (2024)

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I love to cook when time is available. I hope you like these recipes.

• 1lb 450G, Granulated Sugar
• teaspoon 1/4, Cream of tartar
• 4fl oz 100/125ml, warm water
• level teaspoon 1, tartaric acid
• A few drops few drops, lemon essence

It is imperative that you use grease free utensils and trays when making sweets also ensure that you use good scales and measure the quantities correctly.

I suggest having individual bowls with the measurements all set out in them and getting all of your pots and slab, trays and everything that you need out in front of you, this will ensure that there is no panic when you start to prepare the sugar for boiling.

Please make sure that there are no children around at the time as concentration at the hob is imperative and you won't want to be distracted.

An apron would also be of benefit before you start the process.

Here it goes then.... Good luck.....

1. Place the sugar, the cream of tartar and the water in a fairly large, heavy saucepan
2. Place the pan over a low heat and dissolve the sugar slowly and carefully brushing the sides of the pan down frequently (see preparation hub for more details on sugar boiling)
3. This mixture has less water in it than most other sweets and so the sugar will take longer to dissolve
4. When the sugar has completely dissolved, bring it to the boil, without stirring until the mixture reaches 154C (310F) This is where your sugar thermometer comes in handy for testing
5. Remove the pan from the heat and plunge the base of the pan immediately into a bowl of cold water to prevent the syrup from continuing to cook and becoming too dark in color
6. Mix the tartaric acid with a little warm water and add it to the mixture with a few drops of the lemon essence.
7. Stir well to mix in the lemon essence and leave the syrup to cool and thicken for a few minutes.
8. Using a teaspoon lightly oiled with corn oil and working quickly place small drops in rounds, onto an oiled slab or oiled baking sheet
9. Allow the acid drops to set completely then remove them from the slab and wrap each one in Cellophane

Prep time: 40 min

Ready in: 40 min

Yields: 8oz (225G)

I have said 40 minutes for preparation but this could be a lot longer if you want to take your time and get it right, there is no need to rush the process, ensure that you have read my other hub relating to top tips for making christmas home made sweets, chocolate and candy as this shows fully the process and everything you will need to get the best out of the work you put in.

Please experiment, you may not get it right at first, but as the old saying goes try, try again and you will achieve the result you are looking for!

It is worth thinking about your presentation of the sweets as this part of the process is as important as actually making them.

You could put your sweets into a jar with a stopper lid and then dress the jar with a lovely ribbon or alternatively you could put them into a gift box with edible paper as the lining and then wrap the gift box in Christmas wrapping paper to get the effect that you are looking for.

I personally put my acid drop sweets/candy into a clear jar and then put the jar into a gift box and wrap with whatever the occasion is wrapping paper.

There is nothing like the element of Surprise!

Enjoy the moment when your loved ones turn to you and say did you really make these, their faces are truly amazing when receiving home made sweets, chocolate and candy!

Watch out for my other hubs with different recipes for sweets coming soon, enough for now though!

Oh and Well Done!