VALENTINES FAVORITES-CANDY MESSAGE HEARTS
By Kimberli Washington, Public Information Office
(Makes about 50-75 hearts)
Ingredients:
- 8 cups confectioner’s sugar
- ½ cup boiling hot water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 packet unflavored gelatin powder
- Assorted food colorings
- Assorted extract flavors (ex. strawberry or peppermint)
- Heart-shaped cookie cutters
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Parchment paper
- Food decorating pens, for writing
Directions:
- Whisk together gelatin, corn syrup, vanilla extract and ½ cup boiling hot water until gelatin dissolves.
- Beat in 7 cups of confectioner’s sugar on medium low speed, adding a cup at a time to make stiff and sticky dough.
- Transfer dough to clean surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Add more confectioner’s sugar as needed, until dough is smooth and slightly tacky texture.
- Divide into 4 pieces and flatten 1 piece into a disk (cover the rest of the dough with plastic wrap).
- Add a few drops of food coloring and flavor extract of choice to disk. Fold in sides and pinch closed. Then, knead to distribute color and flavor evenly.
- Coat a piece of parchment paper lightly with non-stick cooking spray and roll out dough until it’s between 1/8 to ¼ inch thick.
- Cut into hearts using cookie cutters and transfer to parchment lined baking sheet.
- Let sit at room temperature, uncovered overnight until dry and hard. Do the same method with the other dough using alternative colors and extract flavors.
- Write messages on hearts using food decorating pens. Hearts can be stored in an airtight container for about a week.
- Enjoy!!!
Disclaimer: It is the reader's responsibility to check the instructions provided, and to determine nutritional value and any possible medical condition that may arise from the consumption of the ingredients listed.
