Lollipops or cockerels are a favorite treat for most kids and adults. In Soviet times, mothers prepared this sweet at home from sugar and water in homemade molds or in ordinary tablespoons. Modern children see a variety of chocolates in stores for every taste and color. But still, try to prepare a treat yourself according to simple and original recipes with your children - and with health benefits.
Lollipops are a type of hard or viscous candy that is made from sugar, molasses, dyes and water. They are on a stick, in the form of pencils or small drops, wrapped in candy wrappers. They are produced in various shapes, colors with a sweet taste and aroma of berries, with and without filling. In Germany, preference is given to licorice candies of a salty taste. In pharmacies, you can find medicinal lozenges in the form of the same lozenges that contain medicines, essential oils, herbs and are used for therapeutic purposes.
Interesting Facts
The history of the emergence of simple sweetness for each nationality has its own. In Japan, the first "amezaiku" (lollipops) in the form of animals began to be prepared as early as the eighth century. In France, during the Middle Ages, for the first time, a lollipop was molded for the wealthy, so that it would be convenient to take sugar with them on the road. Well, Russian sweets were originally in the form of a house, a fish or a Christmas tree, they appeared about five hundred years ago. However, in the days of the USSR, most parents took out or made the molds themselves in the form of a squirrel, bunny, bear, asterisk and a popular cockerel. There were no special tricks, they just melted refined sugar in a hot frying pan with a little water or milk.
Classic recipe for cockerels of the USSR
To prepare delicious treats in a simple and easy way, you will need:
- granulated sugar - 1 tbsp.;
- drinking water - 2 tablespoons;
- vegetable oil for lubricating the mold.
Cooking instructions:
- Prepare the form (if there is a factory one, then great), grease with oil and put in the refrigerator.
- Divide the bamboo canapé skewers in two, cut off the sharp edge.
- In a bowl, combine the ingredients, put on medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar begins to dissolve.
- Reduce the gas to a minimum, melt the mass until a beautiful golden color. Stir constantly so as not to burn.
- When it begins to thicken, remove from the stove, pour the slightly cooled mass into a chilled mold.
- Insert sticks, put in the cold until they solidify. Then remove from the mold, transfer to a plate.
Delicious cockerels on a stick are ready!
A little trick used at home - water can be replaced with milk, then the males will be dull milky in color, less sweet and tender in structure.
Colored lollipops
Ingredients and Tools:
- sugar - 10 tablespoons;
- berry juice without pulp - 3 tablespoons;
- lemon juice - 1 tsp;
- sugar crumbs for sprinkling;
- curly insert from a box of chocolates;
- wooden sticks.
Step by step:
- Mix sugar, juices in a small ceramic container, cook with constant stirring over low heat.
- When the mass begins to change color, thickens, check for adhesion. To do this, drop a drop of syrup into water. If it is frozen, then it's time to remove it from the stove.
- Grease the niches of the insert with oil, put the sprinkling, pour the caramel mass, insert the sticks and leave to form. To speed up the process, you can put the mold in a larger container filled with cold water.
- Remove the ready-made lollipops from the mold, rearrange them in a vase.
The color of the finished product depends on the selected berry juice.
Fruit lollipops
You will need the usual components:
- sugar - 250 g;
- water acidified with lemon - 50 ml;
- frozen / fresh pieces of fruit or berries.
Step by step guide:
- Put the saucepan on maximum heat, add sugar, pour in lemon water, stir.
- After boiling the mixture, reduce the gas by half, stir continuously.
- When the color begins to change, hold for another 30 seconds, remove from the stove.
- Stirring continuously to remove bubbles, cool for a minute.
- Put a little caramel mass in a spoon with a spoon, put a fruit / berry, add caramel, insert a toothpick.
- Leave in a cool place for 20-25 minutes. Appetizing candies can be given to children.
Nuance: for a more pronounced taste and color of candies, you can use a citrus decoction. Pour the zest with boiling water, cook for 5 minutes, cool and use in the recipe.
Lollipops "Eastern sweetness"
Take the following ingredients:
- brown sugar - 300 g;
- water - 150 ml;
- nuts / seeds / candied fruits - about 50 g;
- cinnamon, vanilla, citric acid - a pinch;
- white / milk chocolate - piece by piece.
Step by step:
- Combine sugar, water, spices and boil a tough syrup. Devide into two parts. Add white chocolate to one, milk chocolate to the second.
- Put caramel in circles on a silicone sheet with a teaspoon, insert skewers, sprinkle with a nut mixture.
- Leave for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate.
- Remove the finished candy on a stick from the sheet, rearrange it into a glass.
Fruit caramel sticks
It will take a little patience and ingenuity to implement this interesting candy recipe and surprise your family.
Products:
- sugar - 250 g;
- water - 30 ml;
- citric acid - ½ tsp;
- tangerine - 3 pcs.;
- seedless grapes - 1 large branch.
Other fruits can be chosen, it is important that they are small and pitted.
Cooking Guide:
- Peel the tangerines, cut into wedges. Remove the grapes from the branch.
- Pour hot water over the fruit, put it in a colander, string on bamboo skewers, alternating between fruits.
- Boil sugar, water and lemon syrup in a tall ladle. When the mixture boils, immediately remove from heat, stir constantly.
- Dip the fruit platter in the caramel, stick it vertically into any support, such as a Styrofoam tray.
- Keep in the cold until the caramel is completely solidified.
An original treat for the whole family and guests is ready! Help yourself!
Coconut balls in caramel glaze
An interesting option for a beautiful and tasty treat.
The following components are required:
- sugar - 180 g in balls / 100 g (for caramel);
- water - 50 ml;
- coconut flakes - 130 g;
- butter - 130 g;
- powdered milk - 200 g;
- almonds - 50 g;
- lemon juice - 1 tsp (for caramel);
- fruit juice - 30 ml (for caramel).
Step-by-step cooking:
- Put sugar, water, oil in a bowl, stir, bring to a boil and remove from heat.
- Gently add shavings, milk, stir until all lumps are removed.
- After the mixture has cooled, transfer to the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
- After the lapse of time, form balls from the mass, place in each nut.
- Cook caramel from sugar, juice and citric acid.
- String the balls on sticks, dip in the candy mass, put on a plate and leave to set.
NB! If you are limited in time or want to shorten the cooking time, you can replace it with ready-made Rafaello sweets and cook only the candy mass.
Calorie content
On average, 100 grams of lollipop product accounts for 350 kcal. In terms of energy value, it contains proteins, fats, carbohydrates in the proportion of 0.5-0-80 g. Calories in one serving increase or decrease depending on the incoming components. The ratio of protein to fat also changes accordingly.
Useful qualities and harm
As you know, sweets are the source of happiness. Eaten candy improves mood, helps relieve stress or apathy. Helps to quickly recuperate after physical and mental stress. The caramel mass added to scrubs or masks cleanses the skin and makes it velvety.
However, you should not get carried away with lollipops at any age. Excess calories add weight and ruin your waistline. Promotes increased abrasion of tooth enamel, accelerates the development of caries. Caramel is absolutely contraindicated in diabetes mellitus, intestinal diseases, allergies and a tendency to edema. In moderation, it should be given to children so as not to provoke diathesis.
