Tasty the rainbow of flavors in this simple recipe for chewy candies with a soft, sweet pate de fruit texture. Easily adapt this recipe to any flavor using our super concentrated flavor drops.
Difficulty
Beginner
Ingredients
- 27g (3 Tbsp) Rapid Set HM Pectin
- 100g (½ Cup) Sugar (first measurement)
- 237g (1 Cup) Water (first measurement)
- 400g (2 Cups) Sugar (second measurement)
- 112g (½ Cup + 2 tsp) Isomalt
- 1 Dram Flavor Drops
- Food Coloring as Needed
- Mold and Cut Method (choose one):
- 8.75g (2 tsp) Citric Acid
- 5g (1 tsp) Water (second measurement)
- 100g (½ Cup) Sugar (third measurement)
- Individual Mold Method (choose one):
- 25g (1 Tbsp + 2 tsp) Citric Acid
- 75g (¼ cup + 2 tbsp) Water (second measurement)
Equipment
- Large Heavy Bottom Pan
- Candy Thermometer
- Mold and Cut Method (choose one):
- Large Silicone Mold
- Individual Mold Method (choose one):
- Individual Silicone Molds (gummy bears, gummy worms, etc.)
- Spray Bottle
Timing
Active Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hours
Yield
~125 Pieces
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Heat Sugar and Pectin
In a large heavy bottom pan, combine the pectin and first measurement of sugar and whisk together.Slowly pour in the first measurement of water, whisking constantly to avoid any lumps.Add the second measurement of sugar and isomalt and whisk until combined.Whisking constantly, cook until 240°F, on a medium high flame. Be sure to stir this before taking the temperature. This way you will get a better reading from the mixture.
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Add Flavor Drops
Once the temperature is reached, add the flavor drops & food coloring, whisk until combined.
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Mold and Cut Method
In a small bowl, combine the citric acid and second measurement of water and add to the pan, whisk together.line your large silicone mold with half of the third measurement of sugar.Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours.Once cooled, cut the gummies into your desired shape and size, and roll in the remaining sugar.
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Individual Mold method
In a small bowl, combine the citric acid and second measurement of water and pour it into a spray bottle.Spray your individual silicone molds with the citric acid solution from about 10 inches away to get the best coverage. About 2-3 sprays for the entire silicone mold.Fill each individual mold with the pectin mixture. Once all the spaces are filled spray the top with 1-2 more sprays.Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours. For best results allow to set for 24 hours before removing.Once your gummies have either been cut or de-molded, you can coat them in sugar. Place the third measurement of sugar in a bowl, and lightly toss your gummies in the sugar until evenly coated. They can also be placed on a non-stick sheet and aloowed to try for 24 hours.These gummies can be stored for up to one month if kept in an air tight container or in a cool dry place that is well covered.
Summary
Recipe Name
Fruity Pectin Jelly Candies
Author Name
Modernist Pantry
Published On
Preparation Time
Total Time
Average Rating
Based on 20 Review(s)
56 Comments.
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Reviewing the Pectin Jelly Candies. Something is off with the stated temperature to boil (240). I think this is too high? The candy gets way too rubbery. Can’t put into molds. Even at 230 degrees it still came out too thick. My candy thermometer is fine. I’m using you’re HM rapid set Pectin. Please advise on the proper boiling point. Would 200 suffice?
The temperature is correct – 240 is the temperature that the sugar should be cooked to, not the actual boiling point. With the issues that you’re having it sounds like you may be adding the citric acid too early.
janie, im having same issue, cooking sugar to 240 then adding citric acid, the cooler temp of the small amount of water + citric acid shocks the mixture and sort of petrifies it into a thick, un-pourable gloop that am coaxing into molds with an offset spatula. it’s also becoming lumpy like wall paper paste.
Once the citric acid is mixed in, we put it directly into a large mold, then we are able to cut it into smaller pieces once set. Pouring it directly into small molds is difficult because the mixture will set very quickly once the citric acid is added. One thing you can do is cook the mixture to a slightly lower temperature so that it does not set immediately when the cooler citric acid solution is added.
Hi, Pam. This is Faisal from India. You can cook until 225’F and turn off your heat also remove from the pan from heat. Finally you can add citric acid.
Good Luck
Can erythritol be used rather than standard sugar in this recipe?
Not this recipe, if you’re going low/no sugar you will have to change the type of pectin.
Do you drop the heat immediately when a temperature of 240 degrees is achieved? At what temperature is the citric acid solution being added? And, does the citric acid need to be completely dissolved before adding to the mixture. I’m using HM Pectin Slow Set.
Yes, remove the pectin gummies from the heat when they reach 240F. the citric acid solution should be fully dissolved and added immediately.
Is it possible to make these pectin gummies using Stevia? I see your comment above about going the no sugar route, so what would be the right Pectin for a stevia gummy? Do you know the amount of stevia needed to match this recipe? Also, would 240”F still be the temperature that needs to be reached?
Rapid set HM pectin is always going to be the correct pectin to use when making gummies. But the thing to watch out for is the texture of the cooked sugar also affects the texture of the gummies. So without that cooked sugar it may be softer than desired.
Hi, I have to add an oil to this recipe, do i need to add an emulsifier such as guar gum? If so how much? Also trying to pour this into a 3ml silicone square mold and it is very thick, should i add more water to slow down the setting process? I’m using your HM slow set pectin..
If you’re trying to make cannabis gummies they need a much stronger emulsifier. Try polysorbate 80.
Would lecithin work instead?
You can try liquid lecithin, not powder, but we would only use polysorbate 80.
Thank you for your help. How much polysorbate 80 would you recommend for this recipe. I’m adding about 3ml of infused cannabis oil.
You will have to R&D this since we haven’t tested our recipes with cannabis oil.
Curious when to add the polysorbate 80 in this process?
You can add the polysorbate 80 at the beginning of the process in step 1.
I love how you knew the above comment was about cannabis gummies.
my question is why such a strong emulsifier is needed. ill be using distilled thc about 50mg per sq inch and can I use some random liquid pectin from the grocery store?
Pectin is not an emulsifier. It is a gelling agent. The emulsulfier is what binds the oil and water particles together.
Is vegetable glycerin a suitable emulsifier?
Vegetable glycerin is used for gummies but we haven’t tried it ourselves.
I do not have Isomalt on hand. Can I substitute sugar or corn syrup for that?
You can sub out sugar for isomalt.
If I was to substitute some portion of the second measurement of sugar with tapioca syrup, what would you suggest?
It takes R&D to start tweaking recipes. We always recommend starting at a 1:1 and see how you feel about the results, then adjust from there.
I have tried this recipe 3 times so far and I keep getting a candy that is quite hard. Think jolly rancher with at tad more chew. I’ve calibrated my thermometer and scales, read all of the pectin articles and watched the videos. I’m using your HM Rapid Set pectin. I was expecting something a little more like a gum drop. Any suggestions? Thank you! I’m determined to get it right!
This happens when the sugar is cooked to too high of a temperature. I would suggest stopping the cooking at 233-235F if the listed 240F is too chewy for your liking.
Thought I’d share my successful attempt at making energy gel blocks with the following recipe modifications: 1/2 cup tart cherry juice + 1/2 cup water instead of 1 cup water; 1/2 cup maltodextran instead of 1/2 cup isomalt; and no added flavor drops (tart cherry was the flavoring). I cut the big gel block into small ~5 g cubes and coated them sugar. These were tasty and worked perfectly for fueling my bike workouts. Next time I make these I will add a pinch of sea salt at the beginning for a source of electrolytes, try a different fruit juice, and stop at 235*F for less chewy blocks.
Hello, any idea why mine came out like a softer stickier version of hard candy? I heated to 240 and fall at all the steps and even weighed out everything
he consistency of pectin gummies should be softer than a gelatin gummy. Although they should hold their shape very well. If they are not holding their shape then the ratio of acid was off. If you’re looking for hard candies, try our hard candy recipe.
Can I substitute isomalt for all the sugar (except the amount for dusting)
Haven’t tried it ourselves but should work
Wondering about the addition of citric acid. Would it be problematic to leave it out? I am making cinnamon flavoured candies, and feel like the citric acid would distort the flavour.
Thanks in advance!
Pectin gummies will not gel without the acid because pectin sugar gels at a pH of 3.3 to 3.3.
Instead of 2.5 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of isomalt can i do equal parts 1.5 cups of sugar and corn syrup?
Yes this should work.
I can’t get the mixture above 22oF, even as in one case, after an hour of cooking. I’ve tried three times with LM and once with HM Pectin. I just get a very thick goo (LM) or the soft jolly rancher (HM) mentioned by another contributor. I’m using fruit puree. Would that indicate a lower temperature than using water? I would think the amount of sugar would allow the higher temp. I have calibrated my thermometer…
The fruit purée may be too acidic, which will cause a premature gel to for before it can get up to temp. When the mixture gels early, it becomes very difficult to heat past 220°F. We had this same issue during testing. Test the pH of your purée to make sure it above 4 on the pH scale. This should prevent gelling until the acid that is called for in the recipe is added. You could also try buffering the pH of your purée before heating it and adding to the recipe. This can be done by using sodium citrate at a ratio of .8% of the total weight of the purée.
Hey, is there a sugar substitute? I am not allowed to have sugar but I love gelly candies
You can try replacing all of the sugar with Isomalt in this recipe, but we have not tested this method so you may need to do additional testing.
How do I go about using only sugar alternatives with this recipe? e.g. I want to use sufficient isomalt to activate the pectin and then something else, like maltitol, for sweetness. What quantity of isomalt do I need and what are the steps? Thanks!
This would require some testing but it should work. We’d start by replacing 60% of the sugar with Isomalt, and from there you can add the other desired sweeteners.
Hi Cole! Thanks for your reply. I didn’t see your advice until now — and I’ve already tried the recipe with just isomalt and maltitol. Sadly, the gummies haven’t set and it’s been several hours since I’ve put them in the fridge. Here’s what I did, perhaps you can suggest why they haven’t set:
1. Replaced the first measurement of sugar (100g) with isomalt, 1:1 ratio, to activate the pectin
2. Replaced the second measurement of sugar (400g) with maltitol, also 1:1 ratio (don’t know if this is correct, though)
3. I mixed the pectin with sugar, added them to a pan then added the 237g water, mixing constantly to avoid lumps. Then I added the maltitol and mixed well. Left it until it reached about 230F, then took it off the stove, added the flavouring and a bit of colouring, then the citric acid mix (8.75g citric acid + 5g water), mixed and poured into moulds.
The gummies haven’t firmed at all. What could’ve caused this? Perhaps the maltitol/isomalt, or perhaps something else? The heat? The citric acid (my scale showed 8.68 instead of 8.75)? It’s possible my candy thermometre isn’t accurate as well.
The whole mix was a thinner and runnier compared to your video, just in case this suggests anything to you.
Any advice please? Thanks!
Hi there! First, thank you for this recipe. Second, I followed the recipe exactly (i.e. used a food scale to measure grams, candy thermometer, Rapid HM Pectin, etc.). Aside from subbing the Isomalt with sugar (with an equal 1:1 substitution) this turned out as an unworkable blob that I could not pour into anything, nor could I even spatula it into a pan evenly. I removed the pectin/sugar mixture at exactly 240 F, put the flavor drops, and lastly the citric mixture and tried to immediately pour it…but it was already a stiff blob before I was finished mixing. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
When the citric acid is added, it needs to be poured into a block very quickly. The recipe does set very quickly so you have to make sure you have all of your tools ready and on hand right away. It should be cooled slightly before adding the citric acid. Was the mixture was fluid before the citric acid was added? There may have been acid present early which may have caused it to seize prematurely
How do I go about replacing the HM pectin with NH pectin? I don’t want the mixture to set too quickly as I’d like to have time to pour it into moulds properly.
Thanks!
Replacing HM with NH can cause issues because the NH requires lower sugar content than the HM pectin to set correctly. You can start by switching one to one NH for HM but may require additional testing to get the desired set time.
Do you know what shelf life to expect?
We were able to keep these around for a few weeks. But we do not know how much longer they would have lasted after this. Our testing does not cover long-term quality control.
I have a question about the temperature to get gummies to set. I am trying to add an ingredient that is temperature sensitive. My first attempt here was to use the slow set HM pectin, I waited until the gummy mix was cooled to about 75°C before adding the citric acid and the ingredient but the jelly seemed to seize immediately. Is this an effect of the temperature or the citric acid or both? The gel was already getting thick and grainy. Is this normal?
At low water concentrations to pectin will set very quickly even when using slow set. The setting is a combination of many things the citric acid is the last part of the puzzle for the pectin to set. The low water content means that the pectin can link up much faster so the result is a gel that sets very quickly.
If low water content is an issue with it gelling early, how much extra water should I add to prevent this? I’m even using the slow set for more time to pour.
Great question, you do not need to add more water but you can cook the mixture to a lower temperature to make it more pourable. The lower the temperature the more water content the recipe will retain. 225F is about the highest you can go to get a jelly texture and still be able to pour it into smaller molds. But it will not be nearly as chewy a gums cooked to 240-245F. How ever the gums can be dried for a day after molding to make them slightly more chewy.