Lemon Drop Candy…

I can say without a doubt that this is the yummiest post so far.

I know, typically chocolate’s always a winner right? But these are just little drops of tart, lemony awesomeness.

It’s like a flavour explosion in your mouth and (if you’re good at the whole self-control thing) you can eat just one little bite and be completely content.

My absolute favourite so far.

These are a little nerve wracking to make though, at first. Quite high on the difficulty scale due to the fact that it entails working with a sugar syrup, taking it to the right temperature and then handling the hot sugar mixture with your hands (don’t worry, there are steps in between).

My advice is just to prep well. Read over the recipe a few times so you’re sure of the steps, have everything you need (weighed out) in front of you before you start, and just stay calm and enjoy the process. Sugar work doesn’t have to be scary if you have a sugar thermometer and a good head on your shoulders.

Oh, and leave the clumsy somewhere else before you come into the kitchen. You don’t want to be stumbling around hot sugar.

Lemon Drops: (Adapted from Field Guide to Candy by Anita Chu)

(Makes about 50 pieces)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp. citric acid
• 1/2 tsp. lemon essence
• a few drops of yellow food colouring
• icing/confectioner’s sugar for rolling

Coat a pair of kitchen scissors and a marble slab with cooking spray (if you don’t have a marble slab I’m sure you could use a non-stick baking sheet coated with cooking spray but I haven’t tested that out).

Combine the sugar, cream of tartar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and allow the mixture to cook until it reaches hard crack stage/149°C/300°F.

Once at the correct temperature, remove from the heat and immediately pour the mixture out onto the marble slab.

Working fast, sprinkle the citric acid, lemon essence and food colouring over the mixture and use a bench scraper/palate knife to mix them in by turning the mixture over on itself continuously.

When evenly distributed and just cool enough to handle (but still hot and soft), pull off pieces and roll them into ropes. Cut the ropes up immediately with the greased kitchen scissors into small pieces.

Once all the mixture has been used up, roll the drops in icing/confectioner’s sugar to coat them. This stops them from sticking together.

*These will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 months*