Homemade Gum Drops!

                                                                       

Did you know that you can make homemade Gum Drops? I did not know that until now! So FUN & so PRETTY & very tasty! I made them just to do something different & pretty to have this Christmas & I think they just might become a holiday tradition! 

You will need the following on hand to make these:

3 Foil Bread pans (not mini but full sized)

Non Stick Aluminum Foil

3 different food colors ( I used red, green & left the coconut natural)

3 Matching Sanding sugars ( I used Red, Green, & White)

6 Envelopes of Knox Unflavored Gelatin

1 Cup Cold Water

4 Cups Granulated Sugar
1&1/2 Cups Boiling Water

Flavors ( I used Cinnamon, Wintergreen, & Coconut)

Food Coloring ( I used Red, Green, & Coconut I left uncolored)

In a deep dish stir gelatin into the cup of cold water stir & let gelatin dissolve.

Line the 3 bread pans. Use 1 sheet of foil big enough to line the bottom & sides of 1 bread pan. Line all 3 this way. 

In a deep heavy saucepan bring 1 & 1/2 Cups Water & 4 Cups Sugar to a boil. Stir in gelatin & water mixture & boil at a rolling boil, one that you can not stir down, over medium high heat stirring constantly for 25 minutes ( YES 25 minutes) Mixture will go from creamy white to an amber syrup, this is what you want, BE CAREFUL & DO NOT BURN THE MIXTURE! Just cook, boil & stir! After 25 minutes pour mixture into your prepared pans dividing evenly between the three! Now in one pan add Wintergreen Flavor & about 3 to 4 drops of green coloring, do as little or as much as you wish, stir well to combine. In the next pan add cinnamon flavoring & red coloring, the next pan just add coconut flavoring. In each pan I added about 2 TSP for the Wintergreen & 3 to 5 for the others & 5 drops of color! Make sure to use a different spoon to stir each pan or colors & flavors will mix together, & you do not want that!

Now place pans in refrigerator to set up for one day! After that day is up get three flat serving dishes, Coat one with red sanding sugar, one with green sanding sugar & one with white sanding sugar. Now take the red Gum Drops & dump them out on the red sanding sugar plate. Gently peel off the non stick foil , these will be very gummy & tacky, that is what you want! Now coat all sides with red sanding sugar! With a sharp knife cut into slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide. Now cut into squares, coat all side with sugar! Go onto the Wintergreen pan & do the same & then the Coconut! Let sit out uncovered 2 days to firm up & get Gum Drop like! Then store in airtight separate containers so flavors stay true! ENJOY! Makes about 7 dozen all together!