Lemon Peppermint Stick Recipes

LEMON PEPPERMINT STICK

Steps:

• Slice a lemon in half around the circumference. Some people cut the top third off but I find that the short sticks do better in half a lemon. Also, if this is a fundraiser you have a better profit margin if you can sell 1 vs. the one.
• Use a little knife to make a small X in the center of the lemon and press the soft peppermint stick into the center.

PEPPERMINT STICKS

Steps:

• Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and set aside. Place sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover; bring to a boil. Remove lid, and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup registers 305 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully stir in lemon juice, extract, and food coloring.
• Pour hot syrup onto prepared baking sheet, being careful not to touch syrup. Using a metal spatula coated with cooking spray, fold edges toward the middle (this will help cool the syrup). When it is cool enough to handle but still quite warm, using plastic gloves, strech and pull candy, folding it over onto itself before pulling again, until it is opaque and just starting to firm up, about 10 minutes.
• Immediately pull off pieces to form long pencil-thin ropes. Working quickly, cut into 7-inch lengths with a pair of kitchen scissors. Continue pulling until all candy is used or is no longer pliable.
• Temper chocolate: Heat 2/3 of chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water until chocolate registers 118 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat, and add the remaining chocolate; stir with a rubber spatula (avoid using a wooden spoon, which can impart other flavors) until it cools to 84 degrees. Remove any unmelted pieces, and discard. Return bowl to pan, and stir until chocolate reaches 88 to 90 degrees.
• Dip top 3 inches of each pepperment stick in the chocolate, if desired. Allow excess to drip off; set on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and let harden.

PEPPERMINT LEMON

Steps:

• 1. It is very important you use the soft peppermint sticks, not the hard "candy cane" variety! I usually get "Bob's Old Fashioned Peppermint" sticks at Walmart.
• 2. Wash whole lemons in warm water. Roll lemon back and forth on clean counter to increase juice.
• 3. On upper end of lemon, cut a small hole in rind just big enough to push a peppermint stick into.
• 4. Hold lemon firmly in both hands and gently squeeze while sucking on the end of the peppermint stick. It may take a few strong sucks but soon the lemon juice will come up through the peppermint (like a straw). The perfect lemonade!
• 5. The peppermint may dissolve before you get all the juice out of the lemon, but just push another piece of peppermint down inside and continue to enjoy!