Originally posted July 31st, 2015. Revised and updated August 20th, 2016.
Jump to the Recipe
I have a serious sweet tooth, and it was just a matter of time before I started trying to make my own candy.
Since I love the little brightly colored jelly ones, I was eager to make my own from scratch at home.
Similar to gumdrops or jellybeans, these pack an intense flavor. When they’re made with real fruit and without the addition of artificial colors, they are a lot healthier for you, and better for your waistline.
Due to the amount of natural fruit sugar in the juice, you won’t need to add lots of extra sweetener. It is best to use 100% fruit juice without additives. This will also provide a more intense color and flavor.
But better yet…
Make your own fresh juice using a good quality juicer and take advantage of all of those enzymes, vitamins, and micro-nutrients that aren’t found in prepackaged products due to the various pasteurization, concentration, re-hydration, and transportation processes that these “natural” juices must undergo.
Keep in mind, however, that freshly pressed juices will separate, and they can spoil quickly. Make your juice and then turn it into candy right away, for best results.
That being said…
This isn’t something that should be on the menu every day, but these little squares allow you to have less of guilty conscience than you might after nibbling the industrial and artificially flavored varieties.
You can either cut them into small cubes with a knife or use a cookie cutter to make fancier shapes.
If you think you may be interested in making homemade candy more often, you may want to consider getting some silicone molds that can be used for chocolates, or different varieties of hard and soft candy.
If the single-colored cubes are too simple for you, try making some multicolored versions.
First, prepare the mixture. Leave it to set and pour a second one on top. Once everything is firm, proceed as described and enjoy your colorful sweets.
Homemade candy makes a great gift, too – if you can keep your hands off the treats! Present them in decorative gift boxes or small bags lined with tissue at all of your special events.
Required kitchen equipment:
- plastic wrap
- pastry brush
- baking dish (approx. 4 x 8″)
- cookie cutters or suitable molds (optional)
The Recipe
- 6 gelatin leaves * (gold grade)
- 1/2 cup juice 100% (e.g. cherry, grape, orange)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
- vegetable oil
- granulated Sugar to toss them in (optiona)
- Line a baking dish with plastic wrap.
- Soak the gelatin in cold water for about 5 minutes.
- In a saucepan, mix the fruit juice with water and lemon juice. Stir in the sugar and bring to boil, and then reduce the heat.
- Thoroughly squeeze the gelatin leaves and, one after another, dissolve in the juice-mixture without boiling.
- Fill the jelly-mix into the dish and leave to set in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours.
- For serving, cut into cubes or use fancy cookie cutters. (Tip: spread the cutter or your knife with some oil to make the slicing easier)
- With a pastry brush, coat the jelly with a thin layer of oil and toss in sugar (optional).
* Keep an eye on the dosage information of your gelatin leaves. You might have to adjust the amount of liquid in some cases.
Cooking by the Numbers…
To make this simple recipe, I’m using gelatin sheets or “leaves,” which I’ve been told are not very common in the US or Canada.
PerfectaGel Gelatin Sheet Assortment – 100 Sheets
I find that leaves make a superior gel to powdered gelatin. The different grades available are really just different weights associated with the leaves, to indicate the strength of the bloom and the firmness with which your final product will set. These grades go from Titanium (120 bloom, the least firm) up through Platinum (the most firm at 230 bloom, at the highest strength available).
You can purchase a pack that contains various grades or “blooms” as pictured above, or you can order individual grades from Amazon.
I used the gold grade for this particular recipe.
Of course you can always substitute the commonly available powdered gelatin for the leaves, but I find that it doesn’t typically jell as well and results in a more cloudy finished product.
Step One – Soak the Gelatin
First, add cold water to a dish and soak the gelatin leaves for approximately five minutes.
Step Two – Making the Mixture
Add the fruit and lemon juice and water to a saucepan. Bring to a slight boil and mix in the sugar, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Step Three – Add the Gelatin
Remove the gelatin leaves from the water and gently squeeze out the excess. Add to the juice mixture and let dissolve. Do not allow the liquid to boil, and gently whisk in the leaves to assist with incorporation.
After the gelatin has dissolved completely, turn off the heat and allow to cool to a lukewarm temperature.
Step Four – Chill Time
Line a baking dish with plastic wrap. Pour the jelly liquid into the dish and place in the refrigerator for minimum of 5-6 hours.
Step Five – Remove From Mold & Slice
After the liquid has set, remove the jelled mixture from the plastic.
You can cut your candy into 1-inch squares, or use cookie cutters for something a little fancier. I like to cut mine into holiday-themed shapes.
Tip: Spread some oil on your knife to make slicing easier.
Step Six – Pour Some Sugar on Me!
This step is optional. Use a pastry brush to coat the jelly candy with a thin layer of oil, then toss in granulated sugar to coat. This will help to keep your pieces of candy from sticking to each other, and adds a nice touch of crunch.
This recipe will create some very delicious treats that are free of artificial coloring and other additives.
They’re still mostly sugar, but homemade candies made with fresh juices contain a good dose of vitamins and antioxidants with each bite too. It beats the heck out of those empty calorie temptations that are always around during the holidays and at parties!
Another good thing about this recipe is its adaptability. Make heart-shaped treats for Valentine’s Day or replace your usual Christmas fudge with red and green variations of these jellied cubes. The possibilities are endless when you make candy during the holidays.
Hungry for more healthy-friendly candy recipes? Check out our simple recipe on making crystallized ginger candy.
If you’re just candy-crazed in general and really hankering for sweets, try our homemade mochi, sugar-coated edible flowers, caramel candies, or peruse our 23 holiday-inspired favorites, too.
Have you ever made jellied candy? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!
Don’t forget to Pin It!
Photos by Nina-Kristin Isensee, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Additional writing and editing by Mike Quinn and Allison Sidhu.
About Nina-Kristin Isensee
Nina lives in Iserlohn, Germany and holds an MA in Art History (Medieval and Renaissance Studies). She is currently working as a freelance writer in various fields. She enjoys travel, photography, cooking, and baking. Nina tries to cook from scratch every day when she has the time and enjoys trying out new spices and ingredients, as well as surprising her family with new cake creations.
Oh, boy look at this. Lol yes I have a sweet tooth too. It’s always odd to me when someone doesn’t have one. I usually eat a lot of fruit to satisfy it. If there is any kind of candy around I want to eat it. This recipe would be great to make instead of buying store bought.
So these are just made with just juice. This is good. I was thinking there might be some fruit in there. I would use coconut sugar and probably the coconut oil too. These have got to taste 500 times better than the processed stuff.
These treats do indeed look yummy! Something I would definitely try and tell others about. One day when I’m not busy I’ll love to make these with the company of a friend. A dish I would bring to a party!
I enjoy making my own sweets as well. In the past, I have made peanut brittle. It may not be as healthy as some other things but I only make it every blue moon. For those with peanut allergies I’m not sure what you can substitute nuts for. I think handmade goodies in a pretty jar makes a nice gift any time of the year.
Yummy 🙂 There are so many sweet treats that are worth to be tried at home too because they are actually not too difficult. I am not quite sure what one could use instead of peanuts, I was thinking about some crunchy cookie crumbles maybe..
Try seeds instead. A Mexican chef I know makes a brittle with pumpkin seeds.
Now that does sound interestingly tasty enough to make, thank you Jane 🙂
That looks really good! My only problem is that I don’t think I can find gelatin leaves in my supermarket or anywhere near where I live. Is there a place online that I could go to so I can order some or perhaps alternatives to the leaves so I can make this dessert? Finally, would it come out the same if I were to substitute fruit juices with vegetable? I would like to experiment and see how that would come out.
You can find gelatin sheets on amazon.com for example, but you might also use every other kind of gelatin you can find or even agar-agar, in case you prefer a vegetable solution. It is just important to consider the dosage information, it might differ for various products.
Sure, you might replace the fruit juice with vegetable juice, I would definitely be interested in how that worked out! You could also work with some spices maybe and adjust the recipe a bit: some salt instead of sugar, or a light broth instead of water. I haven’t tried but it would be great to know 🙂
They sell gelatin sheets on Amazon? I just thought I would have to go to a specialized store all the way in Manhattan, but thanks for the tip! I wanted to try using vegetable juice because I’m currently on a diet and I need more vegetables in my meals. However, I get bored with just eating salads all the time so I wanted to do something different since I’m also drinking smoothies. I’m going to see if I can use V8 and Clamato in this recipe and see how it comes out. Hopefully it won’t be a total bust and I’ll regret it!
This is such an original homemade dessert that I would undoubtedly try it in the near future. I’m surprised that I myself never considered making something akin to this. I appreciate that this is a healthier alternative to jelly beans, but I find that I’m in a similar situation as SereneAngel88; I do not know where I would find gelatin leaves. Thanks for the recipe, however.
If you can’t find them you can also use other varieties of gelatin, you can find some suggestions in my comment above. I hope for you to find a proper alternative so you can try to prepare the squares and enjoy as soon as possible.
I’ve been wondering what sweets can I do around the house that will not take up a lot of resources and also be quite easy to make. Jelly squares might just be the answer, and they look really good. I have a lot of cherries around here, so I’ll give it a shot with those.
These look like an absolute MUST try! I’ve actually not ever tried candy aside from store-bought options before; never made any myself, and I don’t have any friends or family that do this kind of cooking. Pastries are about the limit of homemade sweets that I’ve had. I am a big lover of gummies though and these looks like they’d taste similar. Plus having most sweetness be natural from the fruit juice is always a plus! Sounds like a yummy treat to have once in a while; I’d love to do the cookie cutter idea and make them into little stars. They’d make a great gift or party dessert to bring along to gatherings as well! I haven’t heard of gelatin leaves but I will be sure to keep an eye out for them next time my family goes out shopping. Thanks for the awesome idea.
I also really enjoy using several cutters for them, for Valentine’s Day one can prepare some red heart-shaped ones or just other seasonal shapes for various holidays. You might also have a look above at my comment concerning the sheets, good luck!
I loved these candies growing up, and I’m sure they’re even better when they’re homemade, with healthier ingredients. I’m intrigued enough to want to make them myself, but I’ll have to do a little research to find out exactly what gelatin leaves are, since I’ve never heard of them. Hopefully I can find a source nearby, or online, that I can use to make these with, because I’d really like to make some as gifts, as well as enjoying them here at home.
That is interesting because those leaves are really common here in Germany and I didn’t know they were quite unknown elsewhere.
You can also use another variety of gelatin, you just might need to adjust the liquid because there can be differences. Amazon also offers sheets but I hope you can find a similar product in a supermarket.
I am very lucky in that every Wednesday afternoon, I get to go to my local farmer’s market. I went just this past week and I saw a sweets stand selling something like this; except it was more like a Sourpatch Kid candy. I cannot tell you how excited I am when I saw those because my husband spends WAY too much of our grocery money on the sour candy!
And then, of course, I find this recipe. I’ve never tried making candy at home before because I don’t have the necessary equipment or the funds to go out and splurge for them (like the oh-so-important thermometer!). But I sure will bookmark this recipe, and maybe put the kitchen items on my Christmas wish list 🙂
Thanks for the recipe, and double thanks from my husband!
That’s great to hear! I agree that some – especially filled chocolates and candy – recipes require specific equipment that you often can’t use for something else.
So I hope you are lucky to get the items needed here and then indulge your husband (and of course yourself) with some homemade treats 🙂
I’ve only ever tried simple sweets like coconut ice and peppermint creams before. These squares do seem particularly easy though, the longest part seems to be the chilling. This would be a great recipe to pass along to those with a surplus of fruit right now.
These look delicious! They would be so great to make for a party dish. It would be cute to make them into other little shapes like hearts or stars, too. I think I might try this recipe with orange juice. Yum!
I have to say that these squares look incredible, and I love the unhealthier versions of these that are basically candies. I’ll have to try this specific recipe out the next time I’ve got some fruit lying around, that’s for sure. My diet would probably benefit from the extra servings of fruit, especially if I don’t add a ton of sugar to the recipe as I tend to do because of my sweeth tooth!
These look soooo yummy! I’m always looking for something that is sweet but that isn’t just cake or chocolate. I think I will make a batch of these for my best friends birthday coming up! Although I’m not really sure what gelatin leaves are. I might have to go to a specialty store.
Wow, these look so good and I love the color of them without having to use artificial color. My daughter and I start baking sweets for the Holidays starting in October and freeze them. We stock the freezer with cookies, fudge, bars and anything else that can be frozen ahead of time. We also make up Christmas treat baskets for family and friends…these will be a great additive to our recipe collection.
These look wonderful! I’m a huge fan of jelly candies, and I never really knew they were so simple to make. I agree that they’d be a perfect gift option as well, plus it’s a great way to use up extra fruit if you have it. This recipe is going on my to-try list, for sure.
Wow, these look so good and I love the color of them without having to use artificial color. My daughter and I start baking sweets for the Holidays starting in October and freeze them. We stock the freezer with cookies, fudge, bars and anything else that can be frozen ahead of time. We also make up Christmas treat baskets for family and friends…these will be a great additive to our recipe collection.
A freezer full of cookies, treats and sweets sounds so mouth-watering to me 😉 But I also love to surprise friends and families with homemade ideas, so I hope this candy will make its way into your baskets and find lots of approval!
This is such a great idea. The pictures are scrumptious and make me want the candy even more. I like your take on using potent juice flavors and that the recipe is relatively easy. Knowing the right proportions to produce the texture I see in the pics is very valuable to me, and my sweet tooth! Thanks!
Depending on the type of gelatin you use, you might have to try a bit to achieve the best consistency. Here in Germany, there is one kind and size of those sheets and I am not 100% sure about other countries or producers. But I think that won’t become a problem as there are always suggestions on the package. So have fun producing your own jellies 🙂
Smacking my lips in anticipation, can’t wait to have a go at this recipe, looks easy-to-do, I sure hope it is, I don’t need tears in the kitchen followed by an exasperated look! One thing I need to look for is a cookie cutter 😉
Oh my gosh these look awesome! I don’t think mine would look so neat, I’m not great at making candies. How do you think strawberry would work? I have TONS of strawberries right now and I can’t think of a better use, especially after looking at your pictures. Thanks for the post!
I can imagine they will work wonderfully and provide a fantastic, deep color!
One could also think about adding a few finely chopped mint leaves into the mix for a fresh twist, I suppose that would go great with strawberries too. (Just thinking about that :))
I tried this with pomegranate juice and it turned out awesome!
I have a question, would this work with either coconut water with the pulp or OJ with extra pulp?
Splendid! Thanks for the news – I hadn’t thought about pomegranate but I really like the idea, great flavor I suppose! 🙂
I haven’t tried yet but I can imagine coconut water might work (better than coconut milk) and I don’t think the pulp would be a problem because it doesn’t have an influence on the amount of liquid.
If I think about it, I’d be really interested into the coconut water variety too. That’s for sure one thing I have to try out.
What a wonderful idea for gifting! My daughter is getting older now and we are doing things together in the kitchen. We recently baked some cookies for our neighbors because I am trying to teach her to be giving. She and I also made jewelry for three birthdays this month. I have a feeling that introducing a candy recipe into our new practice is going to be a major hit. I was wondering about the vegetable oil choice though, as I only cook with coconut, olive or avocado oil. I am hoping that one of these would be a suitable substitute.
I hope you two will have fun and success with the jellies!
Concerning the oil, you can use one of the varieties for sure. You might only consider using a mild oil without a strong taste of its own to not influence the flavor too much (some oilve oils can be very aromatic). But on the other hand, coconut oil is a great replacement and I think its flavor will fit the recipe.
These remind me of the orange slices. I didn’t really like them as a child, but I had a uncle who ate them all the time so he would always share with us kids. Now that I’m older I buy them, and really enjoy eating them I think it just reminds me of being a child. I also like making candy, and have never thought about making these may have to give it a try.
Yummm!! I’m nearly drooling right now, I’ll tell you that. I’m hoping that I’ll have all of these ingredients once I get home, so I can whip these up for myself and my room-mate. All I can hope is that it will taste as good as it looks.
I hope it will, too! It think jonyMacdonald has already tried the squares and was happy how they turned out. So I cross my fingers that yours will be a success as well.
This is a simple and easy recipe even I couldn’t mess up! I’m a sucker for the gelatin peach rings at the gas station, but like you said, they’re full of processed materials and way too much sugar. This is a perfect alternative. Plus, they remind me of Turkish Delight, and I can’t resist those. So maybe I’ll have to make these in smaller doses to save my waistline. Ha ha
Do you think I could use something to make strawberry kiwi flavor? I would assume a juicer would work best, as most of the “juice” drinks out there in that variety are processed and less than 10% sugar.
I also think a juicer might be the best idea. In this case you can also easily adjust the ratio of the different sorts and experiment with flavors. Plus, absolutely no additives, only real fruit.
Strawberry-kiwi sounds yummy, great combination for a fruity and sour treat!
I don’t have much experience with making my own confections, but this is a great idea. I’d enjoy these, but what’s more is that my daughter might actually let me give my grandbaby a treat like this. I have to “sneak” her treats, lol. Not really. I would never go directly against her wishes, but she is pretty strict about eating healthy and feeding the kids healthy stuff. That is of course, a good thing, but as Grandma, I still want to share some goodies.
This recipe will be perfect!
That’s sweet, I really hope you can convince your daughter that these homemade jellies might be a “not too bad” sweet choice. 😉 I think the fruit juice as a main ingredient is a plus instead of artifical flavoring. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your plan!
PS: I always remember my Grandma having some wonderful sweet treats around too when either I or she came to visit. Loved it 😀
This looks good! (Makes me want to eat it =w=) I’ve never worked with gelatin leaves (or gelatin, except for the jell-o powder XD) before, so I’m afraid that I might fail in my first try… Furthermore, there is no gelatin leaves at the local supermarket (sad 🙁 ). There’s some type of gelatin there though. I’m not sure if they’re the same (well, I don’t know what it’s called), but it’s a block of gelatinleaves-looking (but it doesn’t look like the ones I see in google/amazon…). I’m wondering if you know about it and if it’s kinda the same as gelatin leaves… Thank you 🙂 And thank you for the recipe/idea as well! ^_^
Great that you want to try it out.
Well, I am not sure about the kind of block you’ve seen. But as long as its pure gelatin (in whatever shape, e.g. powder) it should work. The “leaves” are just gelatin, pressed into thin sheets.
All you have to pay attention to, is the preparation and dosage information on the package of your gelatin. This might need some calculating, but it can work.
You can have a look, what ratio the package suggest for the amount of liquid in the recipe above (approx. 1 cup). Then, I’d suggest to double the amount of gelatin (because we want the squares to be firm) and process with the gelatin as described.
I hope this could help you in any way, if you have another question, don’t hesitate to ask and I will do my best to help you out!
Well now, these sound all kinds of delicious! I’ve been eating healthier myself but I also want to start having healthier choices for my daughter, especially when it comes to snacking… so the ingredients for this are going onto my store list this week. 🙂
Are there any fruit juices that you have found that will not work as well as others? Or do they all basically work/taste the same?
I see that the granulated sugar is optional, but I think that’s what would make it more like a candy, and taste extra good, so I certainly won’t be skipping that part.
I’m happy to hear that you want to try it out! I really like them and they are a better alternative than store-bought candies which also often contain artifical flavors.
From personal experience, I have tried orange, grape, cherry, apple and multivitamin juice. In the comments above, we had a pomegranate version, too! They all worked well and differ in their flavors. One can taste the fruit juices, so you might take a variety you like for drinking, too.
And between you and me: I think the granulated sugar coating simply belongs to them, too. They look wonderful with it. And – as we already make our own candy – we can allow that tiny bit of extra sugar and enjoy it even more, right? 😉
Those colors certainly are inviting. The purple plums variety in particular made me want to reach into the screen and take it out for a quick snack. The prospect of mixing colors and flavors also intrigues me.
The pictures do this to one, don’t they? Looking at tasty and yummy stuff always makes me want to have it myself immediately 😉
Mixing colors works really great. It allows you to make so colorful candy without artifical coloring agents. So if you have some spare time, you should try it out and enjoy some rainbow candy squares at home!
I think I have tasted something similar to this as a kid. This sounds so tasty and the ingredients seem to be things we may have in the cupboard. I love most things that are homemade and this candy looks worth the try. It seems like it is not as bad for us as store bought candy. I would love to see how this tastes, and experience the texture. It seems like it may be a chewy, maybe gelatin type of candy, so to speak.
You’re right. It has this special soft-gelatin texture. I just really love this kind of candy! It’s also handy that one doesn’t need lots of special ingredients for this, only usual products. When you decide to try it, I hope you have success and can maybe retrieve your childhood flavors 🙂
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Baking is one of my favourite hobbies and I’ve been doing it for years, but lately I’ve been eager to get into candy making as well. These look like a nice easy recipe to follow for a first try, and they look so pretty and delicate 🙂 I love jelly candies, they’re pretty much my favourite, and my mom likes them too so I think this will be a popular recipe!
Jelly candies are a hit, aren’t they? I love this special type of goodies and making them oneself is a fantastic thing to do. What other candy have you tried making already? Recently, I made some chocolate lollies, because I have this funny mold for them. It was delicious and my family loved it. Hope these sweet squares will be a success for you, too! 🙂
I really do like the look of these. I do not have much of a sweet tooth, but crave chocolate every now an d then. If I eat sweets it will be some form of jelly candy, which I do enjoy. I have not ever made any homemade sweets, but this has inspired me to give it a try. With a little practice I could be making these as presents. They look great and I know they taste even better. I had no idea the recipe was so simple.
Chocolate is definitely one of my favorites, too. Especially dark varieties with nuts belong to my have-to-get-snacks 😉 When it comes to something more fruity, I love jelly-products like these. I hope you will enjoy making them at home. When you work out how to handle gelatin, it should not be too different. I enjoy playing with natural flavors and colors. Like you say, this is such a creative, and fun gift-idea!
These look wonderful. We have a juicer, and I can’t wait for our plum trees and apple trees to produce so we can start making these. What ‘bloom’ gelatin leaves do you use? (or color – bronze, silver, gold, platinum)? Thanks so much for the recipe!
I have used “gold quality” gelatin sheets, I hope this is helpful to you. Juicing your own plums for these morsels is fantastic, I hope they turn out well and you can enjoy your fruits in a new shape 😉
Well if you ask me, that last step is not optional….that is a must. I would really like to see if I could find the bigger rocked sugar for this one, which I am sure I could. I must say I am not a big candy maker, but is something that I have always wanted to do more, so maybe this will be that little shot in the arm that I need to get started. They certainly look delicious, so thanks for sharing.
To be honest, I like it better with the coating, too 😉 It looks just classic. I think it would work great with sugar like that, hope you find a variety that fits. Have fun trying it out if you have the time!
Oh, I’m glad I saw this again. How perfect would these be to make and give away as treats for Christmas? I like both giving and receiving homemade goodies during the holidays. These would make a fun, little, surprise. They are different from the usual offerings, and they are pretty, colorful, and tasty.
Now, I just have to find the perfect pretty containers to gift them in. This is going to be fun.
Absolutety, with some fancy shapes they make a nice homemade gift. Maybe you should choose Platinum gelatin sheets for this, so the candy gets firmer and keeps its shape better when put in small bags or boxes. You can experiment with lots of colorful fruits to make some special candy for the season. Like stripes of red and green, or little Christmas trees maybe. Enjoy making (and nibbling) these 🙂
This is genius! I have three little monsters, who happen to love “gummy bears” and “gummy worms”, so if I can make a somewhat healthier, version at home and get way more for my money. I plan on making a batch soon so they can test them out. Plus, admittedly, I am a snacker, and they look amazing.
I’m happy that you like it, I also love gummy bears and things like that, but – although it takes more time to make these then to buy some – the homemade jellies are even more fruity and a a better option, just like you say.
I hope they will be a success and your three little test eaters (and you, too!) will enjoy them 🙂
These are wonderful! I’m so glad somebody finally posted the recipe for this. I would’ve, but I didn’t know what they were called and couldn’t remember how they were made. I’m definitely making more tomorrow after work.
Those look really awesome, I did not really know you could make candies at home, this is definitely a wise thing to do. I personally liked the lemon ones since these are the easiest ones to do, just for practicing. I will copy this down and get to work, thank you for sharing this! Really appreciated.
Hi, just wondering how long theses sweets keep for? Thanks looks delish!
Did anyone find out the shelf life for these?
I was thinking of trying to make some healthy sweets for my kids so that they’ll be able to eat candies that are still healthy. Your advice to get some silicone molds to use for different varieties of hard and soft candy is a great idea. That should help the kids find the homemade healthier candy more enticing and friendly. Hopefully, they’ll turn out great so that I can give it to them regularly without worries. Thanks!
This recipe was a fail. I followed it exactly. Not only was the flavor mild, but the texture was overly soft and wet. The texture was very similar to finger Jell-O. And very moist. It never dried enough to properly dip. Every time I tried dipping in sugar, it just pulled the moisture out and the sugar melted.
I even bought the gelatin sheets off Amazon, and then reread the instructions several times because I was sure I had messed up the recipe. No. The problem was not with me, but with the recipe.
Hi…this does sound wonderful and I cannot wait to try them! How can I store them to make ahead for Christmas giving?
Hi Beatriz,
Since these are gelatin-based treats rather than a hard candy, they actually don’t store well for longer periods. Gelatin can’t be frozen, or it will lose its texture. But you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for a few days.
Was thrilled to find your recipe for jelled candies. Made my first batch yesterday which has not firmed sufficiently but my fault. I had the syrup ready but no leaves so used liquid pectin. I also believe my measurements on juice versus water were off, long story as to why.
I absolutely love Aplets and Cotlets which I doubt you’re familiar with unless you’ve spent time in the States and especially in the northeast. It’s a specialty in Washington state since they’re famous for their apples although admittedly I prefer Michigan’s Honeycrisp. Back to the Aplets, they’re a jelled candy with walnuts and rolled in powdered sugar instead of granulated (I’m not a fan of grit, being from Florida where sand gets into everything, including the mouth). I think you’d enjoy the powdered sugar coating.
I’m going to reboil and add additional pectin today, hoping it will firm up my candy.
My next trial, and I do intend on ordering leaves first, I’m going for orange sticks. I think I bought them in Germany so you’re probably familiar with them. They’re cut in long, thin strips approximately 2″ by 1/2″ and dipped in bittersweet chocolate. I usually follow a recipe pretty closely since I figure if I’m not smart enough to make it without a recipe I’m not smart enough to change that recipe, but in this case I’m going to add some orange zest. I’m assuming your oranges come from Spain. I find American oranges less strong in flavor and slightly less sweet than the Spanish – don’t knock me for that statement U.S. guys, I’ve lived in both Florida and California and picked them straight from the tree. The only orange comparable is the honey orange, which has a very short storing life but would be a sin to cook with.
So I pass on my suggestions in thanks for your sharing your recipes!
I used to love Aplets & Cotlets, M! Haven’t had them in so long. The nuts add a really nice, satisfying texture.
Have you had any problem with doubling or tripling the recipe, or is it better to stick to one batch at a time? If I want any on hand I need more cause one batch will walk out the door with my grown kids.
We haven’t tried this, M. It may be best to stick with one batch at a time to ensure that the ratios of ingredients stay the same, since some recipes for candy and baked goods do not play nice when doubled or tripled. Good luck making enough to keep some for yourself to enjoy! 🙂
How should these be stored, refrigerated or room temperature?
Also, how soon should they be consumed? Will they go bad or spoil?
Are these all automated comments? Has anyone actually made this?
Yup! Some readers have reported varying consistencies depending on what type of gelatin you use.
If I choose to make this, as I really do like jellied candies, preferably sweet and salty, do you think it’s possible to have them turn out as good as this recipe sounds if I mix some table salt into the sugar? Or what salt would you recommend if I choose this option?
This isn’t something that we’ve tried, but a little salt can go a long way. I’d add just a pinch to the mixture with the sugar, or consider adding a pinch of flaked salt to the granulated sugar for the coating. Jelly candy layered with salted caramel or peanut butter fudge with some salt added could be fun to experiment with as well, to get that sweet/salty combo that you’re looking for. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi! May i know how long i can keep this candy? Should i put in the fridge or room temp is ok?
Since this jelly candy is made with fruit juice and gelatin, the granulated sugar coating will help to preserve it, but refrigerator storage is recommended if you don’t eat all of it within a few days. We haven’t tested this, but they should keep in the fridge for about 1 month.
Hi,
Mine started to melt after rolling in the sugar. I didn’t use water but all juice and with 200 bloom. Please advise what I did wrong.
Hi Nina-Kristin, may I ask why the lemon juice? Perhaps just taste, or part of setting process? And do you think replacing the gelatin with cornflour would work?