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Lemon Hard Candy Recipe Without Corn Syrup

Do you love hard candies but are trying to avoid corn syrup? Or perhaps, you just want to make your own candies from scratch? Whatever your reason may be, this recipe for lemon hard candies is perfect for you! These sweet and tart treats are easy to make and uses natural ingredients that you can easily find in your kitchen or local grocery store.

Ingredients For Lemon Hard Candy

Ingredients

Before we start, let's gather all the ingredients we need:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup substitute (such as honey or agave syrup)
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
Honey And Lemon

Instructions

Now that we have everything we need, let's start making our lemon hard candies:

  1. Grease a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine sugar, water, honey (or agave syrup), lemon juice, lemon zest, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir until well combined.
  3. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Insert a candy thermometer and continue boiling until the temperature reaches 300°F (150°C).
  4. Remove the saucepan from heat immediately and stir in the yellow food coloring if using. Be careful as the mixture will bubble and steam.
  5. Pour the hot candy mixture onto the greased or lined baking sheet. Tilt the sheet to even out the mixture and let it cool for a few minutes until you can handle it.
  6. Using a greased knife or a pair of greased scissors, cut the candy into small squares or any desired shape.
  7. Wrap the candies in wax paper, twisting the ends to secure them. You can also dust the candies with a little bit of powdered sugar or cornstarch to prevent them from sticking to each other.
  8. Enjoy your homemade lemon hard candies!
Homemade Lemon Hard Candy

Tips and Tricks

Here are some tips and tricks to make sure your lemon hard candies turn out perfectly:

  • Make sure to use a candy thermometer to get the temperature just right. If it's too low, the candy will be too soft; if it's too high, the candy will be too hard.
  • If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can use the cold water test. Drop a small amount of the hot candy mixture into a glass of cold water. If it forms a hard, brittle ball, it's ready. If it's still soft, keep boiling the mixture until it's ready.
  • Be careful when handling the hot candy mixture as it can cause serious burns. Use oven mitts or gloves, and keep children and pets away from the stove.
  • You can adjust the sweetness and tartness of the candies by varying the amount of lemon juice and zest. Add more lemon juice for a more tart taste, or less for a sweeter taste.
  • If you don't want to use food coloring, you can skip that step altogether or use natural food coloring made from fruits and vegetables.

Conclusion

Making your own lemon hard candies without corn syrup is easy and fun. With just a few simple ingredients and some patience, you can make a batch of sweet and tart treats that you can enjoy anytime. Whether you want to share them with your friends and family or keep them all to yourself, these lemon hard candies are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Related video of Lemon Hard Candy Recipe Without Corn Syrup: Sweet and Tart Treats You'll Love

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