Tools
– small saucepan for boiling the sugar syrup
– small bowl for soaking the gelatin
– kitchen scales
– candy thermometer
– whisk
– silicone molds (e.g., ice cube trays or muffin tins)
– tablespoon for transferring the candy mixture into the molds
Ingredients
– 250g cold water
– 60g gelatin
– 1–2 tsp citric acid * (flavoring)
– a few tiny grains of salt ***
– a few drops of food coloring/concentrated juice ****
– 200g water
– 500g sugar
– powdered sugar (for coating)
Method
Place 250g of water, gelatin, citric acid, extract, and salt grains in a small bowl and let it sit.
First, pour 200g of water into the saucepan, followed by 500g of sugar. Attach the candy thermometer to the side and place the saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. Do not stir or touch it at all; just let it do its thing.
In the meantime, prepare the molds. They must be completely dry and clean so the candies turn out well. Place the molds on a flat surface where they won't need to be moved for a while, or place them on cutting boards that can be moved to a suitable spot later.
Soon the sugar syrup will start to boil, and then it will take some more time to reach the correct temperature, which is 130°C/266°F. Check it occasionally and don't go anywhere. The higher the temperature of the syrup, the faster the reading will start to rise.
When the temperature is exactly 130°C, remove the saucepan from the heat and place it on a heat-resistant surface. Pour in the bloomed gelatin mixture and stir carefully with a whisk until all the gelatin has dissolved. If the saucepan has a spout, you can pour from there, but you can also use a tablespoon or pour the mixture into a measuring jug (just make sure the material is heat-resistant).
The candies poured into the molds must set at room temperature for about 12 hours. After that, you can carefully remove them from the molds and coat them with a layer of powdered sugar so they don't stick together.
Store the candies at room temperature in an airtight container; otherwise, they will develop a crust quite quickly. They keep for about six months. Provided, of course, that they last that long.
Notes
* Add citric acid according to how tart you like the taste. You can technically leave it out, but I would recommend adding at least 0.25 tsp.
** A wider selection of flavorings can be found in baking supply stores, e.g., Tordiabi/Koogimeister/Gemoss, but some selection is also available in larger grocery stores. Check the packaging for the required amounts for each product; they can vary greatly from a few drops to a couple of teaspoons.
*** Salt reduces the cloying sweetness and makes the flavors deeper, but you must be extremely careful with it.
**** Food coloring is not mandatory but enhances the eating pleasure. And actually, you can also replace all the water with some tart juice and see what flavor you get.