Homemade Red Vines

Red licorice is cherry-flavored.

Red Vine is a type of cherry-flavored candy made by the American Licorice Company in California. It's a popular licorice that comes in long pieces that are wound together so that you can pull them apart and eat them separately.You can use any flavor you want, but in order for it to be Red Vine-style licorice, you have to use cherry flavoring. It's not difficult to make at home, and you can even involve children in weaving the pieces together. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Things You'll Need

• 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin (vegetarian optional)
• 3 packages of cherry gelatin
• 4 cups of cherry flavored soda
• 2 teaspoons of anise extract
• Large mixing bowl
• Saucepan
• Pasta machine with spaghetti attachment or metal tuna strainer
• 9-by-13-inch baking pan

Instructions

1. Pour a half a cup of cherry flavored soda into the large mixing bowl. Add three packages of cherry gelatin.

2. Put 3 1/2 cups of cherry-flavored soda, and anise extract into the saucepan and bring the ingredients to a boil.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat when the ingredients begin to boil. Pour the boiling liquid over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is dissolved.

4. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and agitate until the top is even. Refrigerate overnight.

5. Cut the licorice with a fillet knife to 1/10 of an inch thick, and 13 inches long. Use the pasta machine with the spaghetti setting, or a metal tuna strainer with spaghetti sized, circular holes to make the red vines.

6. Twist eight to 10 vines into one large licorice stick. You can use slight pressure to get them to stick together, but do not destroy the shape.

Tips & Warnings

• You can cover the outside of a completed stick with a light coating of beeswax to keep them firm. Refrigerate the sticks.

References

• Cooks: Red Licorice Candy
• Epicurean: Red Licorice Candy
• Licorice Candy Twist: Licorice Recipe

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish