Mint Lollipops Recipes

PEPPERMINT LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Butter 10 assorted metal cookie cutters and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and cream of tartar. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage). , Remove from the heat. Stir in oil, keeping face away from mixture as odor is very strong. For each color of candy swirls, pour 1/4 cup sugar mixture into a ramekin or custard cup; tint red or green., Immediately pour remaining sugar mixture into prepared cookie cutters. Drizzle with colored mixtures as desired; cut through with a toothpick to swirl. Remove cutters just before lollipops are set; firmly press a lollipop stick into each. Sprinkle peppermint candies over tops if desired.

MINT LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets.
• Bring water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then stir in mint and remove from heat. Cool slightly, about 2 minutes, then purée in a blender, about 1 minute (use caution when blending hot liquids). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with 2 layers of paper towel into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding solids (you should have at least 2/3 cup liquid).
• Have an ice bath ready.
• Heat sugar, corn syrup, and 2/3 cup mint liquid in cleaned saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat, without stirring, washing any sugar crystals down side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water and skimming any foam from surface. Put thermometer into syrup and boil until it registers 300°F (hard-crack stage), then stir in mint extract. Immediately dip bottom of pan in ice bath to stop cooking.
• Pour a 2-inch pool of syrup onto 1 of the baking sheets and quickly put a lollipop stick in it. Continue making lollipops, spacing pools of syrup 2 inches apart. (If syrup becomes too thick to pour, heat to thin it.) Let lollipops cool and harden, about 15 minutes, then gently loosen with a thin metal spatula. If desired, individually wrap lollipops in cellophane wrappers.

LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH GREEN GODDESS MINT DIPPING SAUCE AND ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, ginger, soy sauce, 1/4 cup oil, and pepper. Place lamb chops in a large shallow baking dish and pour over garlic mixture. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil a large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to prepared baking dish. Add rosemary and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
• Transfer to oven and roast 15 to 20 minutes. Turn potatoes by shaking sheet and continue roasting, 15 to 20 minutes more, until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, preheat grill or a grill pan over medium high heat. Remove lamb chops from marinade, wiping off any excess and place on grill. Season with salt and pepper, and grill, rotating lamb chops 1/2 turn after 1 minute, and continue grilling until cross-hatch marks form, about 1 minute more. Turn lamb chops and repeat process on opposite side. Transfer chops to a warm plate and let stand 3 to 5 minutes before serving with dipping sauce.

BUTTER MINTS

Steps:

• Combine butter and 2 cups sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until sugar is moistened, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until well combined. Return mixer to low speed, add remaining 2 cups sugar, and mix until well combined, 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high; beat until light and fluffy, 6 minutes more. Add peppermint extract, milk, and salt; beat until smooth.
• Lightly dust a clean work surface with confectioners' sugar and turn out "dough" onto it. Divide into 5 pieces; tint as desired with food coloring, leaving one piece white. (Keep covered with plastic wrap while working to prevent drying.)
• Roll "dough" into 1/2-inch-thick ropes, then cut into pieces slightly over 1/2 inch long with a paring knife or bench scraper. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Let dry, uncovered, at least 12 hours. Mints can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH MINT SALT

Steps:

• Put the salt into a mortar and pestle. Adding a few mint leaves at a time, crush them into the salt until all the mint is used up and the salt is green and fragrant.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Season the lamb with freshly ground pepper and rub them with the mint salt.
• In a deep-sided oven-proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb racks, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the lamb over and put the pan into the oven, uncovered, for about 7 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove the lamb to a board, cover with foil, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes while you make the glaze.
• Remove the excess fat from the skillet and add the red wine. Place the skillet over medium heat and reduce to a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes.
• Slice the lamb racks between the ribs into chops and place them onto a warmed platter. Drizzle the glaze over the chops and serve as "lollipops".

PEPPERMINT LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Put the sugar and cream of tartar into a saucepan with 200ml hot water. Gently heat until the sugar has completely melted, then increase the heat and boil until the mixture reaches the 'hard crack' stage on a sugar thermometer (or a small spoonful dropped into cold water sets hard). Remove from heat immediately and swirl in peppermint essence and enough green colouring to give a pale green colour - start by adding just one drop at a time.
• Cover a heatproof surface with baking parchment. Using a metal spoon, carefully pour some peppermint syrup onto the paper - roughly ½-1 tbsp per lolly. Push a lolly stick into each. If the syrup becomes too thick, just put the pan back over a gentle heat briefly. But if the syrup is too hot and runny, the shapes won't be as even so set it aside for a minute. Set lollies until hard.
• To clean equipment after lollipop making drop everything back into the pan, fill with water and bring to the boil.

FROZEN STRAWBERRY, YOGURT AND MINT LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Puree the strawberries, sugar and water in a blender.
• Add the yogurt and mix together.
• Add the mint and pulse just to mix.
• Fill a small glass or shot glass. Cover with cling film and poke a lollipop stick through the centre of the cling film, suspending it in the centre of the puree. Place in freezer until frozen.
• Makes 15 small lollipops.
• Chef Jason Parsons.

BUTTER MINT CANDIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter until creamy. With mixer on low, beat in sugar, cream and extract until creamy and smooth.
• Turn sugar mixture out onto a work surface lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar; knead until smooth and satiny. Divide mixture into thirds: Tint one pastel pink (2 drops red color), one pastel green (2 drops green color) and leave remaining portion white. Cover each portion with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.
• Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick foil. Lightly dust work surface with confectioners' sugar. Working with one color at a time, roll out 1⁄4 cupfuls of the mint mixture, using your fingers, into a 1/2-in.-thick rope. Cut rope into 1/2- to 3/4-in. pillows. Transfer mints to prepared baking sheet with a spatula (be careful-mints are soft and will squish easily). Repeat with remaining mint mixture.
• Let air-dry at room temperature for 1 to 2 days until firm enough to handle. Transfer mints to covered containers.
• Can be stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature up to 2 weeks, or keep in refrigerator up to 1 month.