How to increase firmness of gumdrop candy?

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Scubabug99

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jan 22, 2018
Messages
2
Location
Los Angeles
Hello! I have been experimenting with making gelatin-free gumdrop candy. My primary ingredients are sugar, light corn syrup, pectin, and citric acid. I have been able to accomplish some delightful flavor but the end product is softer than desired. I am curious to know if anyone has suggestions on how to increase the firmness to be more like the store bought "Sunkist fruit gem" or Trader Joes "Fruit Jellies" which according to their label are using similar ingredients. At cool room temp for example, the Fruit Jellies from trader joes are so firm they are difficult to pinch with your fingers but very easy to eat.

the ingredients I am using are:
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
4.5 TBS citrus pectin
1 tsp citric acid

For some background, I am heating the sugar and syrup to 280F and then slowly pouring that into a second pot where the water, pectin and citric acid have just come to boil.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!
 
I am nota specialist. But wondering, what if you cook your mixture longer?

Thank you CharlieD. I will try keeping it at the soft crack stage for a few minutes in my next batch. My last batch that inspired my post just came off of almost 3 days in a food dehydrator @135f. I dont think it helped.

More soon...
 
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