Corn-Free Allergen-Friendly Lollipops

As a mother, I never imagined myself saying this: I want my kids to have candy. 

The twins' birthday is THE a candy-loving holiday- Halloween!  For their first two years, their birthday party has been a fun allergen-free family celebration with goodie bags full of inedible Halloween favors, but I have always wanted my boys to have candy.  I searched and searched the Internet for a recipe that was safe for my guys.  I initially thought about doing rock candy - you know, the science experiment in growing sugar crystals.  But to do enough for a party would require a table full of mason jars for days while growing crystals with uncertain results.  Ugh.

So I looked for other hard candies, but I kept finding recipes with corn starch, and my guys are allergic to corn (among a million other things).  Whether the recipe called for cornstarch itself or powdered sugar, which contains cornstarch, every recipe had SOMEthing my guys couldn't have. UNTIL I saw a recipe for making your own powdered sugar using a coffee grinder and potato starch!  I suddenly had renewed hope!

Powdered Sugar with Potato Starch (Note: this link also has other GREAT tips about corn-free cooking!)  In case the link doesn't work, here's the recipe:

1 Tbsp Potato Starch (I don't know if tapioca starch would work, but would be worth an experiment if someone has a potato allergy)
1 cup Sugar
Grind in coffee grinder until no longer grainy.  So easy!

WHERE TO BUY THIS STUFF:  I buy my rice flours, potato starch, and tapioca starch at local health food stores, but I just discovered the very same brands for half the price on Amazon! Gotta' love that site. Some have had luck on Ebay, but I'm just not into it, espeicially with food products).

So now to make some lollipops.  

After A YEAR of searching for a good recipe, I finally found this one:

 Easy Homemade Lollipop Recipe:

     2 cups sugar

     2/3 cup water

      1/8 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

      Any desired flavoring (I used organic orange and lemon extracts, but I've since learned (with dark clouds gathering in my head) that many extracts often use alcohol derived from corn, which is why they can claim to be "gluten free."  UGH! This may explain some eczema flares. But THANKFULLY! "The Chew" on ABC showed a lollipop recipe using a spoonful of frozen 100% juice concentrate (thawed) for flavoring.  I've been to a couple of stores looking for a truly 100% juice that doesn't say "Natural Flavors" in the ingredient list, and they DO exist. I finally found a grape juice and a lemonade that we can use. I have not tried them yet, but will update when I have)

     Appropriate vegetable coloring (I didn't use any coloring, and the juice idea has natural color with the juice)

 INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine sugar and Cream of Tartar with the 2/3 cup water.

 Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Boil until a temp of 290 F. is reached or until a drop of mixture will become hard when dropped into cold water. Remove from heat.

Add flavoring and coloring. Pour into greased pans or molds.

When partly cooled insert wooden sticks. (be sure to spin the sticks once they're in place to thoroughly surround them with lollipop syrup and secure them in the lollipop!) Chill in the fridge until they are completely cooled and hard.  Store in an airtight container.

PROBLEM: I didn't own any molds, a candy thermometer, or sticks. 
SOLUTION: I posted my dilemma on Facebook and my friends came through!

STICKS: A friend suggested I buy my lollipop sticks and thermometer at Michaels, similar to these Lollipop Sticks , Candy Thermometer. 

MOLDS: My friends had three ideas for molds:

1. BUY A MOLD:  Our Michaels didn't have molds for HARD candy (READ LABELS!  They had LOTS for soft candy that were quite deceptive.  This is how I found out the hard way that not all lollipop molds are created equal.  Hard candy lollipop molds are a hard white plastic and will say they are meant for hard candy.  I did a search for "hard candy molds" and bought mine from a small site I'd never heard of.  Thankfully it worked out GREAT!  And I have cute dinosaur molds.
RESULTS: I love our dinosaur molds, but the lollipops turned out VERY BIG and thick that the kids can't finish all at once!  So my recommendation would be to find smaller molds for kiddos.

2.  NO MOLD: to make wonky lollipops: Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and carefully spoon the hot lollipop syrup onto the sticks  ( (I also sprinkled powdered sugar, but it clumped up on the oil, so ignore it in the picture below.  Also, for oil cooking spray, I've found an olive oil cooking spray that has a hint of soy that works for us, but if you have a soy allergy, Pampered Chef at one time sold a pump spray bottle that lets you put your own oil inside, pump in air pressure, and spray.  Awesome!). 
RESULTS: When I did it this way, they turned out so thin that the lolli would fall off the pop almost as soon as the child took one lick.  These are great with adults, but a bit awkward with kids.

 3.  MAKE A MOLD: Use a cookie sheet with sides (jelly roll pan), fill it with powdered sugar, use something to press shapes firmly into the sugar (I used a cap from a juice bottle, washed, of course), align your sticks into the shapes, and pour in the lollipop syrup. 




RESULTS: I have to say, in the end, this was my favorite method.  Kind of messy, but in the end there was NO oil, and the added layer of powdered sugar added an element of froofroo to the pops.  YUM!




Enjoy!