Gummy bears are among the simplest candies to make at home. At the base, there are only 4 ingredients: water, sugar, gelatin and flavorings. Water and gelatin, when mixed, heated and then cooled, make a gummy candy, so you don't need to own expensive utensils or weird ingredients to create a homemade version of gummy bears. The only tool that cannot be missing is the silicone mold for the bears.
Ingrediants
Quick Recipe
- 120 ml of cold water
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) of natural gelatin
- 85 g of flavored gelatin
Classic Recipe
- 70 g of gelatine for professional use ("250 bloom")
- 140 ml of water
- 225 g of sugar
- 22.5 g of sorbitol powder
- 245 g of glucose syrup
- 15 g of citric acid or tartaric acid
- 12 g of edible essential oil (of your choice)
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes (active preparation: 5-10 minutes)
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Total time: 30-40 minutes
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Quick Recipe
Step 1. Pour 120ml of cold water into a small saucepan and place it on the stove
Don't light the fire yet. It is easier to mix the ingredients directly in the pot rather than transfer the mixture elsewhere, as it will be slightly sticky.
Step 2. Add 2 tablespoons (20g) of plain jelly to the water
You can find it in the department dedicated to the preparation of sweets in the supermarket.
For a vegan substitute, you can use powdered agar agar which you can buy online or at organic and natural food stores. You can use 85g of agar agar, the same amount as gelatin, so there is no need to change the doses of the rest of the ingredients
Step 3. Add one sachet (85g) of flavored gelatin and mix well
The flavor you choose for the jelly will determine the color and flavor of the gummy bears.
Flavored jelly comes in many flavors and colors, so you can make a whole rainbow of gummy bears. For example, you could choose the aroma of strawberry, orange, lime and black raspberry
Step 4. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes
Stir occasionally until the gelatin has dissolved completely in the water. Use a medium-low heat to avoid burning the jelly.
Step 5. Turn off the stove and pour the mixture into a liquid measuring cup with the spout
Use a container that allows you to pour the mixture into the mold easily. If you want to create some artistic decorations, you can use a dropper pipette.
Step 6. Pour the mixture into the mold and place it in the freezer to cool for 15-20 minutes
Simply pour the hot gelatin into the teddy bear mold and leave it in the freezer until it hardens. At that point, the bears will be ready to be eaten.
- If you don't have a mold, you can make gummy candies with a pipette or a spoon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- You can leave the teddy bears in the freezer for even longer. If you eat them immediately after removing them from the freezer, rather than at room or refrigerator temperature, the bears will have an even more chewy and juicy texture. Once ready, you can take them out of the mold, put them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to a year.
Method 2 of 3: Classic Recipe
Step 1. Weigh and measure the ingredients to make the classic gummy bears
To get the same quality, taste and texture as the bears on the market, you will need some ingredients that are not easy to find, as well as a jelly for professional use with a solidity and a high gelling strength (known as "250 bloom"). Measure ingredients by their weight, rather than their volume. Keep in mind that timing is the key to getting the perfect gummy bears, so weigh the ingredients in advance and keep them on hand to add them quickly to the mixture. To make classic gummy bears, you will need:
- 70 g of gelatine for professional use ("250 bloom");
- 225 g of sugar;
- 140 ml of water;
- 22.5 g of sorbitol powder;
- 245 g of glucose syrup;
- 15 g of citric acid or tartaric acid;
- 12 g of food essential oil (of your choice).
Step 2. Combine the gelatin with the water
You can mix with the whisk or you can melt the gelatin in a double boiler, which is the classic method. If you want to whisk, combine the gelatin and water in a saucepan directly over low heat and continue stirring until the gelatin has dissolved.
- If you want to melt the gelatin in a double boiler, fill a basin with warm, but not boiling water. Combine the gelatin with the water in a resealable food bag, zip seal it and soak it in hot water for 30 minutes.
- There should be no lumps or streaks inside the jelly once it is ready.
Step 3. Blend the sugar, sorbitol and glucose syrup on medium heat
Mix the ingredients thoroughly so they blend well, but be careful not to let them boil. If you have a cake thermometer, wait for the mixture to reach 66 ° C.
Step 4. Slowly stir in the gelatin
With the stove still on, add the water and gelatin mixture you made earlier. Keep stirring until the ingredients are well blended, then turn off the heat and quickly move on to the next step.
Step 5. Add the desired flavor
You can flavor gelatin with fruit juice, citric or tartaric acid, a food essential oil or an extract. You can also add 75 g of pureed fruit, for example a strawberry puree.
- For a citrusy taste, you can use lime, orange or lemon juice.
- For a more unusual taste, you can use a food oil or extract, such as vanilla extract, orange essential oil or cherry extract. If you want to use an essential oil, you need to make sure the label states that it is "food grade" or "edible", as some essential oils are toxic if swallowed.
- This is also the time to add the food coloring.
Step 6. Pour the mixture into the mold
If you want, you can sprinkle the mold with cornstarch to be able to extract the teddy bears more easily once they are ready, but most silicone candy molds are non-stick. Pour the mixture into the teddy bear shaped cavities, then place the mold in the freezer for 4-5 hours or until the teddy bears are completely solid.
Method 3 of 3: Flavoring the Gummy Bears the Natural Way
Step 1. Sprinkle the bears with citric acid to give the candies a citrus note
Citric acid is a preservative and can damage your teeth, so use it in moderation. It takes very little to improve the taste of gummy bears with a sour touch.
Step 2. Use honey and lemon
If you want gummy bears to have a honey and citrus taste, you can use lemon and orange juice instead of flavored jelly. Honey is a healthy and delicious alternative to the corn syrup that is used in industrially prepared gummy candies. Combine the following ingredients in a saucepan, turn on the stove, then add 3 tablespoons (28 g) of gelatin. Continue with the recipe as normal after incorporating the gelatin:
- 250 ml of orange juice;
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of lemon juice;
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) of honey.
Step 3. Use strawberry or berry puree
Your gummy bears will have a truly irresistible taste. If you're using frozen fruit, be sure to thaw it before adding it to the recipe. Simply mix the following ingredients, then slowly add 3 tablespoons (28 g) of gelatin as you heat the mixture as you normally would.
- 175 g of pureed strawberries, blueberries or raspberries;
- 80 ml of water;
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of fresh lemon juice;
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) of honey.
Step 4. Replace water with milk for a creamier consistency
If you don't eat dairy, you can use almond, soy, rice, coconut or oat milk instead, which will still give a different, creamier texture to the gummy bears. To prepare teddy bears with cow or plant milk, dissolve the gelatin in half a dose of milk, then heat the mixture as normal, incorporating the other half of the milk only at the end, before removing it from the heat.
- If you wish, add a few drops of vanilla extract, almond or even cinnamon to make the bears even more greedy.
- You can replace water with milk in both the traditional gummy bear version and the pureed fruit version.
Advice
- It is best not to use a mold that is too thin or you may have difficulty getting the gummy bears out without breaking them.
- You can sprinkle a thin layer of oil on the mold before filling it to make sure you can easily extract the teddy bears once they're ready. You may also find some recipes that recommend using corn starch.
- Try using pureed fruit mixed with a drop of water to make it more silky. It will thicken in any case and give a pleasant fruity taste to the bears.
- You can flavor gelatin with a powdered beverage mix instead of buying the already flavored one.
