How to Make Jelly Beans at Home

The invention of jelly beans comes from the old time candy, Turkish Delight. The jelly bean as it now stands became popular during the Civil War, when ithe candy was sold to soldiers. Jelly beans consist of a hard shell with a gummy interior. Jelly beans are made of sugar, and while they can be made at home, they are time consuming and require skill in candy making.

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 (1/4 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
• Cornstarch
• Wire rack
• Stand mixer with coating attachment
• 4 tablespoons of water
• 3/4 cup of sugar

Instructions

1. Add the water, sugar, and gelatin to a medium saucepan. Stir the mixture over medium high heat until it begins to boil.

2. Boil until the mix creates a short thread, about 20 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat.

3. Stir in the orange and lemon juice and the salt. Let the mixture cool. Stir in the orange and lemon zest.

4. Run cold water over a 9 x 5 inch pan. Pour the liquid into the pan. Allow the mixture to sit out for 4 hours until it is firm.

5. Dip a knife in cold water and run along the edges of the pan. Turn the pan upside down over a cutting board.

6. Use a serrated knife to cut the jelly to the desired size. Dust the pieces in cornstarch. Lay out on a wire rack to dry.

7. Attach the coater attachment to the stand mixer. Place the jellies into the coater, and add 4 tablespoons of water and 3/4 cup of sugar.

8. Turn the mixer on the highest setting. Follow the hard shell coating directions included with the attachment to determine the length of time necessary to create the shell.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with different flavors by changing the juice.

• Coating pans can be pricey. You can coat your jelly beans in colored sugar if you don't have a coating pan attachment. Read the directions for creating a hard shell coating, different brands may have other specifications on the amounts of sugar and water used.

Resources

• Pan coater