Drop Mix Candy Recipes

CHOCOLATE SNOWDROPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine cake mix, whipped topping and egg; mix well. Mixture will be sticky.
• Drop 1 inch sized balls of dough into confectioners' sugar; roll slightly to form uniform size balls. Place on lightly greased baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove to racks to cool. Store in tightly covered container.

GUMDROP CANDY

Steps:

• Grease a 9x9 inch glass baking dish, and set aside.
• Place applesauce in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in 1 cup sugar, and return to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in gelatin mix, and boil for one more minute. Pour into the prepared pan, and chill for several hours or overnight, until firmly set.
• Once the gelatin has set, coat the top surface with white sugar. Turn the pan over, and tap the gel out onto a clean surface that has been dusted with sugar. Cut into 1 inch squares, and roll in sugar. Candy will be very sticky. Let the sugared squares set out to dry for at least a couple of hours before storing.

GUMDROP COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream shortening and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in almond extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in gumdrops. , In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into dough., Drop by level tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

HOW TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED HARD CANDY

Steps:

• Before you make candy of any kind, read through the entire instructions for the individual recipe. You need to be thoroughly aware of what the recipe requires before starting because candy needs precise temperature control and precise actions at the times that the recipe states. Most importantly, remember that candy not attended to is candy that burns!
• Check the temperature before making candy. Candy should not be made when the weather is high in humidity or rainy or it has a hard time setting. Check the room temperature--it should be around 60ºF-68ºF (15.5ºC-20ºC), with low humidity. If you have no choice about cooking in sub-optimal temperature conditions, you may be able to compensate by cooking the candy 1 to 2 degrees higher than recommended by the recipe. Altitude will affect the outcome; if you live at high altitude, you may need to make adjustments in accordance with the usual recommendations for high altitude cooking.
• If you don't already have one, purchase a candy thermometer of good quality. You need to be happy about working with great precision when making candy--it's a science as well as an art. For more details on selecting a candy thermometer, see How to choose a candy thermometer. Never touch the base of a saucepan with a candy thermometer. The pan must always be long enough that the thermometer does not reach the bottom when hung on the pan lip.
• Avoid changing the ingredient amounts in a recipe. They are precise because they work. Even doubling ingredients in a candy recipe can result in a failure.
• For the heat source, choose the burner that is wider than the cooking pan you're using. This ensures more even heating.
• Know how to test the hardness of candy. This can be done manually or using a thermometer. The thermometer is easiest, but it's handy to know how to test the temperature manually, which you can learn to do before using a recipe by reading How to test candy hardness stages.