Orange Gumdrops

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light-colored corn syrup

3/4 cup water

1 package (1.75 ounces) powdered fruit pectin

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons orange extract

1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel

4 drops yellow food coloring

1 drop red food coloring

sugar

Directions:

Line a 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan with foil, extending foil over edges of the pan. Butter the foil; set pan aside.

Butter the sides of a heavy 1 1/2 quart saucepan. In the saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat to boiling for about ten minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan. Carefully clip candy thermometer to side of pan. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, until the thermometer registers 280 degrees (soft-crack stage). The mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over the entire surface.

Meanwhile, in a heavy two-quart saucepan combine water, pectin, and baking soda. Note: the mixture will be foamy. Cook over high heat to boiling, stirring constantly. This should take about two minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; set saucepan aside.

When sugar mixture has reached soft-crack stage, remove the saucepan from heat; remove thermometer from saucepan. Return pectin mixture to high heat; cook until mixture just begins to simmer. Gradually pour the hot sugar mixture in a thin steam (slightly less than 1/8" diameter) into the boiling pectin mixture, stirring constantly. This should take 1-2 minutes. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute more.

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in orange extract, orange peel, and food colorings. Pour candy mixture into prepared pan. Let stand about two hours or until firm.

When firm, use foil to life candy out of pan. Use a buttered knife to cut candy into about 3/4" squares. Roll squares in additional sugar. Store loosely covered. Yields: about 72 pieces.