Gummies

Some people think they’re called gummies because of their gum-like texture, but I think it’s because old people can eat them without their dentures in.

 

But seriously, wouldn’t it be cool to make your own gummy bears (or lions, tigers, and whathaveyou?) Without all those horrible additives? Man, is it ever your lucky day. That’s totally what I’m going to show you how to do! Start with 2/3 cup of the fruit juice of your choice, add 1/4 cup of honey, and bring to a boil in the smallest saucepan you have.

 

Meanwhile, get yourself 8 packets of Knox gelatin, which sounds like a lot, but this stuff is super cheap. And Bill Cosby is a nice guy and all, but we’re not making jigglers here, we’re making gummies, and that takes a lot of gelatin.

 

Mix all the gelatin in a bowl with another 2/3 cup of cold fruit juice. You can be all fancy and shake it over the whole surface like some kind of wizard powder, or you can just dump it in, it doesn’t matter.

 

The important thing is to mash it around until everything is a nice uniform gray blob, and there’s no white powder left.

 

Once the liquid on the stove is boiling rapidly, pour it into your bowl and stir together until everything is dissolved. If it cools too quickly and you still have some globs floating around, you can return it to the stove for a minute or two to get everything nice and melted.

 

Now use an oral syringe to squirt the juice into silicone gummy molds, sometimes marketed as candy molds or ice trays. There are a million different kinds out there, but my kids’ favorite are Lego guys and these old school Space Invaders shapes. This amount of juice will fill five or six molds, so you can get a variety.

 

Stick them in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to harden, then just pop them right out. You’re going to feel like they’re too delicate, but I promise they won’t tear, just push the mold inside out and yank.

 

They make great cupcake toppers, by the way.

 

Happy Eating!

 

Gummies

2/3 cup fruit juice
1/4 cup honey
2/3 cup fruit juice (again)
8 packets Knox gelatin