Lollipop, Lollipop...

When I saw these colorful lollipops on Technicolor Kitchen, I was thrilled. I think it's perfect for a candy buffet or a kid's birthday party :-)

And so I ask for permission to post the recipe. Thanks to Patricia!

Lavender Lollipops

(makes about 12)

Ingredients:

½ cup (120ml) water

2 teaspoons edible dried lavender buds (or vanilla)

1 cup (200g) sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup

few drops of purple food coloring (using a toothpick) - you can use any other color too

Start by making a lavender infusion: place water and lavender in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside until completely cold – I made the infusion the day before and left it covered at room temperature. Strain the infusion.

Oil a marble slab or baking sheet. Have ready at least a dozen wooden sucker sticks.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/3 cup (80ml) of the lavender infusion; stir to blend. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover and boil for 2-3 minutes. Uncover and insert a candy thermometer in the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 143ºC/290ºF. If sugar crystals form on the pan sides, wash the down with a pastry brush dipped in warm water.

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately dip the bottom of it into a pan of cold water to arrest cooking, removing quickly before the mixture gets too cold. Place on a dry kitchen towel and add the food coloring.

Using a large metal spoon, immediately spoon a little less than 4cm (1½ in) pools of syrup onto the prepared marble slab/sheet*. Lay one end of the lollipop stick in each pool of syrup while still soft and push gently to secure in place. Dot a little extra syrup on the embedded end of the stick. Let cool at room temperature until completely set, about 2 hours.

Wrap each lollipop in cellophane or waxed paper. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

* once the mixture got cold and difficult to mold, I returned the pan to medium heat, stirring, until it became soft again (30 seconds or so)

Image Sources

I haven't tried them out but I think I will try them out on my son's birthday...

Hope you have fun! :-)

Recipe: Spring Cake

This is a strawberry shortcake. It sounds yummy :-)

Ingredients (6-8 portions)

Strawberry sauce:

1 kg strawberries, washed and cut into pieces (not too small)

75 g sugar

1 T lemon juice

Fresh strawberries:

750 g Strawberries, washed and cut in half, kept in the fridge

Biscuits:

280 g flour

2 ½ t baking powder

1 t salt

1 T sugar

75 g cold butter, cut into small pieces

180 ml cold cream

1 Begin by making the strawberry sauce. Put everything into a small pan, lid on, and cook until it boils. Remove the lid and let simmer for 10 minutes.
2 Prepare the fresh strawberries and set aside in a container in the fridge.
3 Preheat your oven to 225°C. Line a baking sheet with paper.
4 Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then blend in the cold butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the cold cream and stir just until a dough forms.
5 Put the dough out onto a slightly floured work surface and pat or roll out the dough to 1cm thickness. Use a glass or cookie cutter to cut the dough into portions and place on the baking sheet. Try and cut the pieces very close together so you don't have to re-roll out the dough, which ruins the light texture of it.
6 Bake for 10-12 minutes.
7 Now pack up your items for picnic transport as follows: wrap the biscuits in a cotton towel, take your warm strawberry sauce in one container, the fresh in another. For those of you who like whipped cream, don't forget to pack a can of it.
8 Here is the assembly of the dessert: take a biscuit and but it in half, horizontally. Put the bottom half on a plate, followed by the warm sauce, the fresh berries, the whipped cream and the other biscuit half. Eat and enjoy.

Everything by Cynthia Barcomi

If you haven't tried her baking stuff, get her baking book. It's absolutely great.