At the risk of sounding too lentil-weaveresque ...

[Countingthegreyhairs]

does anyone know of a (preferably on-line) source of additive free lollipops .. ideally the large whirly ones ... it's for a child's party

bit of a long-shot I know but have Googled without success ....

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Fantastic Jack! Thank youuuu!!

Will try and find on Amazon ....

[JackBauer]

sweet temptations by Nicki Trench
Only just googled her, she does knitting and crochet, and sewing, I think I love her

Have made lemon goodie gumdrops with orange juice, like soft fruit pastilles and apple jelly sweets too, yum, yum.

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Would you mind telling me the author and title pls JB? We often make presents and something edible always goes down well.

Also, as a veteran devourer of fruit pastilles - would love to have a go at making my own.

Thanks again.

[JackBauer]

I do have to add that I haven't tried it myself yet, have been waiting to use it as a rainy day activity for when I need the sugar!
I have made other things from teh book though, sweet temptations by nicki trench. I think my mum got it from the cheapy shop but it is fab, home made fruit pastilles, fruit jellies and marshmallows, yum

[Countingthegreyhairs]

You are a star JackB! May not have time to try the recipe out before the party, but will definitely give them a go when we are less pressurised. Thanks again!

[JackBauer]

Jewel coloured lollipops

Mix 200g granulated sugar, 85g liquid glucose (i got some from sainsbo's baking bit) and 4 tablespoons of water in a pan, cook over medium heat, stirring with wooden spoon until it boils.
Boil without stirring until it reaches 149C (300F) (Hardcrack stage - when dropped into very cold water a small amount of sugar will solidify, separating into brittle threads)
Remove from heat and mix in a few drops of colouring and flavouring (they suggest 1 tblspn lemon juice for yellow, 1 tblspn orange blossom water for orange)
Put sticks into moulds and carefully pour mixture in. If you don't have moulds use a teaspoon to gently spoon and shape a lolly on a silicone sheet or greaseproof.
Leave to cool at room temp

Store in airtight container.

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Thanks Longtime. Glad it was a success. Will do!!

Might indeed give it a go OvermydeadB ... thanks ...just realised I haven't as much time as I thought I had (ain't that always the case??!) but sounds like a fun project when we have a minute ..

That link is just what I was after Oopsacoconut ...brilliant, thank you! I contacted them and for anyone that is interested their products are available here:

www.sweetstall.com

[oopsacoconut]

You could try here They do fab natural twirl lollipops. might be worth mailing them and seeing where you can get them.

[Overmydeadbody]

Make the lolipops!

Hard candy is relatively easy to make, and you can use natural flavourings and colourings, or keep it clear.

Best thing would be to make a mix of two (red with a cinnamon flavouring and clear with a lemon maybe) and assemble them in a swirly marble pattern into large circles and stick a stick in them and let them go hard.

It's basically a reci[pe of sugar and water boiled up to the hard ball stage and then flavours/colours added. A quick google should find hundreds of recipes.

[LongtimeinBrussels]

If you keep an eye on the thread I sent you to there may be another meet-up. This one was, I would say, a success. It was lovely to meet everyone!

[Countingthegreyhairs]

er, heavily supervised of course ....

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Long-time - have a great day today!! Will start rummaging in my very disorganised e-mail/password file - sorry am hopeless with this sort of thing. Let's keep in touch ...

Jack Baeur - thank you - actually I would be interested. I noticed the other day that Party Pieces sell some star trays with sticks for making biscuits but I'm sure they would be suitable for lollipops too - also it might be quite an interested summer holiday project for dd ...

[JackBauer]

I do have a recipe for home made lollipops if you want to have a go yourself? Is quite easy....

[LongtimeinBrussels]

I'm so glad you saw the thread, even if you can't come . I think we established that I'm older than you (46!) so I'm still expecting to stick out like a sore thumb. I expect I'll be mistaken for LPO's grandmother, her being only three months older than ds1!

Hope to see you at the next one. Hopefully you still have my e-mail address so you can contact me. I still have the returned e-mail so I can send it again!!

[Countingthegreyhairs]

OOOOhhhh hello Long-time!! It HAS been a long time.? How are you? All OK I hope.

Feel rather overcome actually as this is the first time that anyone has ever sought me out on Mumsnet, never mind started a thread, and I've been posting here since the Mesozoic era [in fact I think I may faint with gratitude]

Sorry post very much off and on here. Not sure what's happened to my e-mail - apologies - will check it out.

Thanks SO much for looking for me and thanks for link.

Kessel-Lo and Gregg's sausage rolls eh? Oh that would have been terrific - but sadly am working this week ....the other half of my job-share is on hols ...

If I had been able to attend though, I bet I would be the most antediluvian there btw, not you...!!

Sorry to miss you... will there be other meet-ups? Sign me up for the next one although thinking about it, not sure I'd be brave enough, Bxls being so small and all that ... bet one of you is my dentist/lawyer/vet/dermatologist!!!

Hope you have a great day and the rain holds off. Will get back to you with a working e-mail address too. x

[LongtimeinBrussels]

Countinthegreyhairs - sorry to hijack - I've been looking for you!!!! Sent you an e-mail but it was returned. Couldn't find you on here. Even started a thread!

There's a mumsnet meet-up tomorrow for us Belgian mums at Kessel-Lo. 1pm if you're interested. Hope you read this. Here's the link.

[Countingthegreyhairs]

er, meant to add, hence this quest ...

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Thank you Stirling - those links are really useful ...will investigate them later tonight ...

Pink Tulip - that wd be a really good suggestion if I lived in the UK but here the one and only health food shop is like something out of the 1970s ...it's all a bit earnest ...and presided over by the most unhealthiest looking individual I've seen in a long time I doubt they do lollies but it's certainly worth a look ...

Will check out the chemists too Tiger Feet - thanks for that suggestion - again they are strictly drug-oriented here with no frills but you never know ....

Your pour dd btw Pink Tulip ... that must be hard for her when everyone else is munching away... my cousins dc have exactly the same problem ... one of the boys in partic. gets totally hyper and then has terrible stomach cramps ..

[StirlingTheStrong]

Agree with Pinktulips, your local health food shop will probably stock some.

But found THESE too.

Or there is the Natural Confectionery Co but not sure if they do lollies.

[PinkTulips]

do you have any health food shops locally? they generally stock artificial colouring and flavouring free lollipops and even if they don't have the whirly ones they'd probably be happy to give you their stockist details and you could check to they make them?

respect btw, dd goes completely deranged on certain e-numbers and it's a pain in the bum when she goes to parties as she generally comes home like a possesssed beast (i'm afraid to say anything to other parents as she's already the kids who can't have cake and ice cream and requires every packet to be read to suss out the ingredients due to her wheat and cows milk intolerances!)

[TigerFeet]

Flavourings don't have e numbers, but colours do. Many natural colours do though.

I got some colour free lollipops from our local chemist. DD doesn't react to artificial colours but if she sees a lollipop she has to have one

[Countingthegreyhairs]

aah, sorry hairy, that's much clearer, thanks - sorry woefully ignorant about this stuff - didn't know natural substances had e-numbers attributed to them too ...

will find out the proper name but I think they are the red and orange colours/flavourings that they react to....

and thanks for your suggestion Pisces ... will have a look at the recipes here to see if I can make an alternative ...

the reason I posted was that I had an inkling in the back of my mind that I had seen whirly-type big lollies with healthy 'slogans' on them when I was out shopping ... made mental note ... and of course now I can't remember where for love nor money .....

[thehairybabysmum]

I see...what about homemade fudge so you know hte content?

Also i know im seeming pedantic but everything has an e number...all colours and all flavours whether 'natural' or not so therefore they will all have e-numbers in..can you finf out if there are particular ones they react to??

[piscesmoon]

Why not make toffee apples?-very easy.

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Hadn't thought of it flollipop ....but willing to give it a go....I assume you have a recipe given your nickname?? seriously, can't be that hard can it??? Bit of a faddle though

Thanks for the link knitter - that's the sort of thing I am after but well, if poss, a bit more wholesome ...

not being very clear am I hairybaby ....?? I meant free of e-numbers .. I have an entire family coming who react very badly to them ....