Acid Drops
Cream of tartar and citric acid come together in this vegetarian β 65 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Lightly oil a shallow metal tray or a sheet of parchment and set it aside so the hot sugar will not stick once poured.
- Combine the granulated sugar, water and cream of tartar in a heavy saucepan and stir over low heat until every grain of sugar has dissolved before the mixture comes to a boil.
- Clip a sugar thermometer to the pan, stop stirring, and boil steadily until the syrup reaches the hard-crack stage at 150 C, brushing any crystals from the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.
- Remove the pan from the heat, let the bubbling subside for about 30 seconds, then quickly stir in the citric acid and lemon flavouring, taking care as the syrup is extremely hot.
- Pour the syrup onto the prepared tray in a thin even layer and leave it to cool for 1 to 2 minutes until it just begins to set at the edges but is still pliable.
- While still warm, score the sheet into small squares or snip drops with oiled scissors, then leave to harden completely at room temperature.
- Toss the cooled, fully set sweets in powdered sugar to stop them sticking together and store them in an airtight jar away from moisture.
You'll use: Saucepan Β· Pan
Ingredient substitutions
- Lemon
- lime Β· 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
Tips & common questions
How long does Acid Drops take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 7 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lemon?
Try lime. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Acid Drops vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Acid Drops is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Acidic drain cleaner containing sulfuric acid (sulphuric acid).jpg by DualDoomsdays, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.