Food 101: Fakeout Lollipops

Nothing is more fun to me than pulling a prank on some friends. While some pranks are usually gross and nasty, I like to put a tasty little spin on mine. Imagine reaching for what looks like a cherry sucker only to discover it's grape! These lollipops are fun and are sure to please at parties or sleepovers.Now honestly, you don't have to follow the flavor instructions exactly, in fact you can get as creative as you want with the flavors!

For ingredients you will need:

1 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of corn syrup
1/2 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon of the flavoring of your choice
Food coloring
Oil, or spray oil

And for those who like to set out their materials ahead of time you will need:

Lollipop sticks (skewers cut in half will also work)
Wooden Spoon
Candy Thermometer
Cookie Sheet (or a large flat surface)
Parchment paper
Pastry brush & a bowl of warm water
Heat proof measuring cup with a spout

Directions:

1) On a flat surface put a cookie sheet upside down & oil or spray the sheet and the measuring cup.
2) In a large saucepan put sugar, corn syrup, water, and cream of tartar to cook over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar is completely dissolved. Keep stirring for at least 5 more minutes, or until it starts to boil. In order to keep sugar crystals from forming on the pan, whip out the handy dandy pastry brush dipped in warm water and brush the sides of the pan.Stop stirring when your concoction starts to boil.
3) Carefully place the candy thermometer in the pan without touching the bottom or sides of the pan (false readings are no bueno!). Let the syrup boil for 10 minutes, or until it reaches about 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
4) Quickly remove the pan from the heat to let it cool and stop bubbling. It should be around 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
5)Add your flavoring and food coloring and stir quickly. In the prepared measuring cup place some syrup inside then pour in out on your pre-prepared parchment paper in 1/2 to 2 inch rounds. They can be any size of your choosing, but keep in mind that the bigger the lollipop the longer it takes to dry!
6) One quarter of the way up the lollipop place the stick in and twist it a little to make sure it's attached to the sucker. Cool for fifteen minutes or longer, depending on the size.
7) Decorate, or just enjoy!

Feel free to experiment a little with color and texture by adding edible glitter or swirls of other color!

Written by Liz