Darienne

Thanks for your detailed information. It's all unfamiliar stuff to me and I doubt that Ontario liquor stores carry Orangecello, Everclear, K'au oranges, etc. But I am going to chase it up when I get back home....

Thanks, Anna N. We went to the local liquor outlet and found the Grand Gala and it was $14.00 cheaper than the Grand Marnier. Did not buy any...have Grand Marnier already. Found another called Grand Monarch, $6 dollars less than the Grand Gala. Anyone know anything about it? Then looked at the raspberry list. Chambord, which we have, and another called Chateau Monet. The Chambord is $19.99 for 375 ml and the Monet is $5.99 for 750 ml. Anyone know the Monet? or any other raspberry liqueur? Thanks. What an extremely delicious topic.

Wow! So much interesting information...and so little chance of testing it out . We are currently in a small Utah town with FEW choices in liqueurs...and then we live in Ontario near a small city with not many more. I have never seen either Gran Gala or Luxardo Triplum. Perhaps they are available in a large center like Toronto. But I will soldier on and try.... Not to mention that the cost of alcoholic libations can be up to 4X more in Canada than in the USA...again...

Which liqueur is the purest orangest flavor? I have long thought to trying to make liqueurs...

Grand Marnier in caramel? Yummm. You didn't say you were using it in caramel. Must try that. I know nothing of AW values and actually don't know what confit is either...back to Google. Learn, learn, learn.... Post Google: gotcha

I too would be interested in knowing this.

Definitely Grand Marnier plus orange zest for me...or at least the Grand Marnier. Once you have used it, you'll never us either Cointreau or Triple Sec again. IMHO! And the zest should be in miniscule bits.

Thanks, DDG, I'll read the article after a cup of coffee.... ← I read the article. It was terrific and I thank you for mentioning it. My DH heard a fascinating radio talk about six months ago about a new book on the history and sugar itself, written by a Canadian female and in 2008. That's the sum total of his report. I am going to Google to see what I can find. Thanks again. Added after a Google search: Sugar: A Bittersweet History by Elizabeth Abbott. Penguin Canada. It may have been a fascinating radio interview, but the book sounds like primarily the dreadful history of sugar with little or nothing about the pastry and confection part of sugar itself. Perhaps someone has read it.

So I went and I saw and I was BLOWN AWAY! Amazing! Stupendous! Thanks.

I will make a test batch in a day or so and then post my great success (or screw-up ) Thanks for the information about the lemon juice...I am opting for lemon juice. Do you have any photos you could post of something with its Royal decor?

Thanks, and no doubt I will.

Thanks, DDG, I'll read the article after a cup of coffee....

Hello Theresa, There is no AC Moore, no Hobby Lobby, no Michaels, no Wal-Marts, no Wilton aisles in Moab. No party stores. And no farmer's market after November 1st. The largest store is an Alco. This is a VERY small town without the tourists and tourists don't buy powdered meringue. That's why I wanted to know particularly about using lemon juice...which I could guarantee...instead of cream of tartar...which I could not. Thanks for trying.

Thanks Eileen for that interesting article. I'll have to read it at leisure.

Thanks for the orange bitters idea... but I doubt if little children would like it much. As for having a sweet tooth, I have almost none and find almost incomprehensible the preference for milk chocolate which so many Americans have .

There is no meringue powder in Moab. As for 'just whites', I'll check tomorrow. And as for the taste of the stuff, that really doesn't matter. It's just to write the child's name on the lollipop or some small decorations...nothing major.

My next-door neighbor swears by cane sugar when baking. It's more expensive than sugar which is not labelled 'cane sugar'. Neither Greweling nor Wybauw appear to distinguish between the two types of sugar. Is there some kind of difference in anyone's opinion? Thanks.

I am intending to decorate the lollipops made for the local children's party using Royal icing (thanks to Chocolot and Kerry Beal and two friends at home I asked. It seems that everyone knew about Royal icing except me, so be kind). I have four sets of recipes for Royal Icing each giving two versions: one using meringue powder...which I may not even be able to get in this small Utah town...and the other egg whites. I'll no doubt opt for the egg whites. Besides if I could even find meringue powder, how could I guarantee its freshness? So two of the recipes call for lemon juice and the other two call for cream of tartar. I can no doubt buy cream of tartar although I might not be able to guarantee its shelf freshness (noting that failure due to possible stale cream of tartar is discussed in another current thread). I have fresh lemons. (The enchanting thing about Moab is that you can't buy much here: the frustrating thing about Moab is that you can't buy much here.) Do they both do the same job in the icing? I would assume so... Any advice about making? coloring? storing? using? subsequent packaging? The recipes all give some tidbits of information, but nothing takes the place of experience.... Thanks in advance.

How lovely. I don't eat the lollipops that I make...or much of anything else in the confectionary end of life either. I just like to make these things: the process always seems so magical, and there are always places to give them away. And it makes such nice friends.

Thanks. I've never made royal icing, and in fact, don't really even know what it is. But I shall learn. Thanks again. You always do come through with an answer....

Question: does anyone know how to make whatever is used to decorate hard candy lollipops? I know you can buy little ready-made doodads which you can stick onto a cookie, cake, or even a lollipop which is not too set. The little Christmas ones I bought today, Betty Crocker, are made of :sugar, egg white solids, vinegar, sodium benzoate and colorings. They can withstand the hot temperatures and won't mush if you touch them as will the various prepared icings and gels in a tube. I would like to know if there is a way for me to make some stuff to add decorations to my hard candy lollies. (Moab has very few doodads for sale. Moab is NOT a place to buy anything. In fact, Moab does not have a Wal-Marts.) Maybe even write on a name. I have tried to Google this in every which way with no results. Thanks.

Probably not many of you make hard candy lollipops, but if you do, you might be interested in this website which I found by accident. www.lollipopmolds.com The molds consist of a strip of metal which you place on a marble (or whatever) base, add the little clip, insert the stick and then pour the molten mixture into. The lollies are flat on both sides, but have a lovely simplicity to them. So far I have used only the small round, but was entranced by the results...but then I love to hold the candy up to the light to see the colors shine...so what can I say? Also the lollies are easy to write names on, add features, etc. Oh, the sets are $7 for 10 molds. And today I am ordering some different sets: Christmas, Easter, Animal, Shamrock, etc... (I don't have my scanner with me so I can't send any graphic stuff and I didn't take photos before I gave away yesterday's goodies.)

Dear Desiderio, You did not miss the point at all. I did intend to make it from scratch. But then time passed and other difficulties intervened ...as difficulties in life will...and the project was derailed. And then someone suggested that I simply order it. And I did. I will follow your advice next time and order the hazelnut paste. And then mix it with 70% dark, my favorite. Thanks again for your advice. As you can see, you were totally on track. I simply switched tracks. Edited to correct typos. 'detrailed' might even be a useful word....

thanks, Kerry.

Just found this thread and could not resist writing. Tim Horton's is owned by an American company and isn't even 'Canadian' anymore. I loathe their coffee and wonder why anyone eats their muffins at all. BUT they do have clean washrooms.