Peppermint Lollipops Recipe

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil
• Green and red paste food coloring
• 10 lollipop sticks

Directions

• Butter 10 assorted metal cookie cutters and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and cream of tartar. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage).
• Remove from the heat. Stir in oil, keeping face away from mixture as odor is very strong. Spoon 1/4 cup sugar mixture into two ramekins or custard cups; tint one green and one red.
• Immediately pour remaining sugar mixture into prepared cookie cutters. Drizzle with green and red mixtures; cut through with a toothpick to swirl. Remove cutters just before lollipops are set; firmly press a lollipop stick into each. Yield: 10 lollipops.
  
  Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with LorAnn peppermint oil. It can be found at candy and cake decorating supply shops or at www.lorannoils.com.
• We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.

Peppermint Lollipops published in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2007, p91