Apricot syrup lollipops

[Darienne]

The lollipops were a confectionary disaster. The ones made on buttered marble stuck like contact cement at its best and the ones poured into hard candy molds, popped out and then stuck as above to whatever they were put on. And they were not really hard, although cooked to 300 degrees F.

OK. After I made candied ginger, I took the remaining flavored syrup, added a bit of corn syrup and made wonderful little hard candies. Perfect.

So. My apricots, being sulphured (learning experience # 253), were tossed out, but the syrup was DELICIOUS. Into a pot, with a dollop of corn syrup. And presto. A mess which is thrown out...after a battle to get it off the marble slab.

Questions:

- is there something in the apricot itself which precluded a hard candy being the result?

- pectin ? (about which I know nothing yet)

- sulphur? (why are the apricots sulphured? I know they do look different)

- might the same thing happen with leftover citrus syrup?

- might it have worked if I had not put any corn syrup into it?

- why was the ginger syrup fine?

- other?

- ?

No, I did not save the stuff to put on ice cream. I don't really like ice cream anyway. (Something to try at home in the future.)

Would someone extremely knowledgeable like to come and live in my house for the next year or so?

Edited December 20, 2008 by Darienne (log)

[Lior]

I think sulphur retains the color and preserves. I always look for natural non sulphur. I am so sorry to hear about your disasters!!!

[K8memphis]

For any next time that it doesn't come out the way you want ~~ And may you never need to use any of these ideas ~~ consider making a fruit leather out of the apricots themselves.

For the apricot cement that one can only imagine how heavenly the flavor and aroma, maybe crush or roll into balls and dip in chocolate. If it is crushable, you could add to some shortbread dough, or any cookie dough.

Play with it. Melt it again and what happens. Have fun with it.

Just some disaster averted ideas for you.

Happy apricots to yah.

[Lisa Shock]

It sounds like you didn't get enough water out of the mixture, re-cooking might do the trick.

[Darienne]

For any next time that it doesn't come out the way you want ~~ And may you never need to use any of these ideas ~~ consider making a fruit leather out of the apricots themselves. 

For the apricot cement that one can only imagine how heavenly the flavor and aroma, maybe crush or roll into balls and dip in chocolate. If it is crushable, you could add to some shortbread dough, or any cookie dough.

Play with it. Melt it again and what happens. Have fun with it.

Just some disaster averted ideas for you.

Happy apricots to yah.

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Thanks for the ideas. The apricots hit the trash long ago. Sulphured apricots are definitely not the way to go.

And the lollipop stuff went that way today. No way to do anything further with it. Each lump had to be pried and heated off and the sticks removed. It certainly wouldn't crush. But thanks for trying.

[Darienne]

It sounds like you didn't get enough water out of the mixture, re-cooking might do the trick.

←

Thanks Lisa, you could be correct...but then it hit 300 dgrees F with no problem.

I suspect it has something to do with the nature of the apricot itself. But then I don't know and that's why I am asking.

As for recooking it...I think not. It's in the round file. It was a major task ungluing it from the marble slab.