If you’ve ever wondered how to make blackberry lollipops, using fresh and foraged blackberries, you’re in the right place! In the following tutorial, I walk you through how to make simple fruity lollipops using just 2 ingredients…
I’m not hugely sweet-toothed, but the taste of real blackberry juice in these Blackberry Lollipops make them a real treat.
And whilst they are sweet, they only contain sugar and blackberries.
That’s just 2 ingredients in total!
So here’s hoping that makes them a little better than all the unpronounceable things you find in regular, shop-bought sweets.
Recipe notes:
Please note, you will need some equipment to make these berry lollies:
- jam thermometer. I have this cheap one by Tala (affiliate link).
- lolly sticks. I used these cheap paper ones (affiliate link) from Amazon.
- a large stainless steel saucepan. Choose one with a thick, solid base.
- silicone baking sheet (affiliate link). If you don’t have one of these you can use a marble slab that has been wiped with a small amount of oil to prevent the sweets from sticking to it.
I’d also recommend you make it on a day when you don’t have children or dogs running underfoot. The syrup gets super hot as it boils frantically.
Oh, and wear long sleeves!
How to make Blackberry Lollipops
1/ extract the blackberry juice
Tip your blackberries into a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
A saucepan with a thin base may mean that your candy burns before it can reach the ‘hard crack’ stage.
Put the pan over a medium heat.
I like to squash my berries with a potato masher as they cook to help release the juice.
Avoid boiling them as you’ll lose too much water/juice.
Pour the cooked berries, and juice, through a sieve.
And I then like to squish the fruit against the side of the sieve to ensure I get all the juice out.
The leftover pulp can be added to cakes or smoothies.
But I prefer to feed it to my hens, or put it in the compost it as it’s mostly seeds, and a bit ‘gritty’.
2/ mix with the sugar
I then rinsed out my original pan (the one with the heavy base) and poured the juice back into it.
To this I added the sugar.
I then put the pan back on the hob, again over a medium heat, and stirred constantly until the sugar had all dissolved.
Do not overheat at this stage as you may burn your candy.
3/ boil your blackberry syrup
Once the sugar is fully dissolved, turn up the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Do not stir the mixture any more.
Pop your jam thermometer in the pan at this point.
Then boil the mixture until you reach the ‘hard crack’ stage.
This happens when the mixture hits between 146-154°C or 295-309°F.
4/ form your lollipops
Working quickly, but carefully, drop teaspoons of the hot syrup onto your pre-prepared marble slab or silicone baking sheet.
Drop small rounds of the syrup first.
Then place a lollipop stick into each one. About 2/3 of the way into each candy.
Then drop another slightly smaller teaspoon of the mixture on top.
The second ‘blob’ hides the end of the stick and forms a complete lollipop.
You don’t need to try and shape the syrup in any way. It will naturally spread out making a rustic round shape.
In the picture above, the syrup was starting to cool and it became much thicker and slower to work with.
5/ let your lollipops cool and harden
As your blackberry sweets cool, they will naturally harden.
If you are having problems with your hardening, see the troubleshooting guide below.
Once your lollipops have set, you can wrap them in a little cellophane.
Or simply dive in and enjoy!
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Why does my hard candy burn?
I first published this recipe back in 2012, and it certainly wasn’t a very concise article.
And whilst the majority of readers (thankfully!) made perfect lollipops. A couple of people had a problem with their candy burning before it got to the correct temperature.
I think the 3 possible main problems we came up against were
- the pan
- the temperature and/or thermometer
- your altitude
What kind of pan should I make hard candy in?
I use a solid, good quality, stainless steel saucepan with a heavy base.
I believe the base is important as it spreads the heat out which helps to avoid hot spots.
Although I am no expert, I would not recommend making hard candy in a pan with a non-stick coating. The temperature gets very high, for a prolonged period of time and I’m not sure non-stick pans are designed for that. If you are concerned, please contact your pan manufacturer to see whether your pan is appropriate for making these sweets.
Also, I’ve made this recipe on both an electric hob and an induction hob and have had no problems with it burning.
How quickly should I boil hard candy?
If your syrup burns before getting to the right temperature, it may be that you are heating it too quickly or getting it too hot.
Once the sugar has totally dissolved, bring the heat up in stages, all the while keeping an eye on the temperature.
Talking of the temperature, apparently thermometers need recalibrating occasionally. This article has an easy way of testing to see if your thermometer is accurate (see step 4. Get it down to science)
Does altitude affect making hard candy sweets?
According to this article, yes it does.
However, the article walks you through adapting the recipe for your elevation.
Why did my candy reach temperature, but didn’t go hard?
According to this article, this may be to do with the atmospheric pressure.
Apparently, on damp days the high humidity can prevent sweets from hardening.
How to Make Blackberry Lollipops
Gently heat the berries in a pan until the fruit have changed colour, and there is a fair bit of juice in the bottom of the pan.
I also like to mash them with a potato masher to extract all the juice.
Pour the blackberries plus the juice into a sieve over a large pan with a heavy base.
Use a spoon to press the berries and extract as much juice as you can.
Throw away or compost the seeds.
Add the sugar to the juice and, stirring continuously, gently heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Once the sugar has fully dissolved, stop stirring, place the jam thermometer into thepan and let it boil.
It becomes quite ferocious at this point, and if you get splashed it will burn so please be careful.
As soon as it reaches the 'Hard Crack' stage (146-154°C or 295-309°F) take the pan off the heat and stand it in a sink of very cold water to stop it cooking.
Carefully drop teaspoon size blobs of the mixture onto an oiled marble slab, or silicone baking sheet.
Working quickly, lay a lolly stick (I got mine on ebay really cheap) into the centre of the sweet.
Then add a little more syrup on top to seal the stick in.
When cool, gently lift the sticks up and peel the lolly away.
Wrap in lolly bags, foil, greaseproof paper, cling film or cellophane.
And that's it!
If you give it a go, do let me know how you get on.
And why not try other berries, such as strawberry or raspberry too?
simpleijustdo says
This sounds so completely yummy and wonderful! And I love the word “lolly”!
HedgeComber says
Haha.. LOLLY! :)
colouritgreen says
oh now.. that is a good idea!
HedgeComber says
Enjoy them! :)
Heather says
This looks incredibly easy! Yum!
HedgeComber says
It really was, and only 2 ingredients surely makes it a winner :)
Janie x
Paula Parrish says
Oh my gosh, your DIY lollipops look super yummy. I bet that the real fruit makes them taste so good. I pinned your link to make some lollipops later. ;o)
HedgeComber says
Thanks for the pin Paula, I do hope you get around to trying them!
Janie x
Bee says
I made this recipe but with blueberries instead of blackberries… And MAN did they turn out awesome!!! This recipe is so simple and easy and it just all around really nice to follow and complete!!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe, the lollipops turned out AWESOME!!!
Jane Sarchet says
YES!!! OMG now I want to try blueberry lollipops!!!
Thanks so much for your lovely message Bee & I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe :)
Janie x
Jan says
Cute! Love the photo! :)
HedgeComber says
Thank you! Off to check your blog out now.. :)
Janie x
Asunwv says
How well would this recipe work for other shapes/candies? Were I to put it in a silicone mold and make a stickless hard candy would it be good?
Jane Sarchet says
I’m guessing it would work great Asunwv, if you give it a try would you let us all know how it goes?
Jane x
Stevie Taylor says
Would love to try it but we lost all the blackberries this year. They were just ready to turn plump and juicy when we had 100 degree temps and no rain for 2 weeks. Ugh! All shriveled up and gone by the time the rain finally came. Maybe next year!
HedgeComber says
Oh no! Do you have any other berry fruit around? I guess not. I feel very sad for you Stevie, if you’d like me to send you some from Cornwall, I’d be happy too! (I would send you some lollipops, but there aren’t any left and as I value the enamel on my teeth I shan’t be making any more this year!) :)
Janie x
Cassia says
Very cool, i will save this to do with my kids on the next school break. A mama has to plan those types of events. Thank you!
HedgeComber says
What fun! I’m sure the kids will be grateful! Thanks for popping in Cassia, Janie x
Sandra says
Yummy!!! My children love lollipops and to make my own this simply would be great.
HedgeComber says
I hope they enjoy these ones Sandra :)
Nicole says
I bet these are so yummy! I plan on attempting hard candy for holiday treats – pinning & going to try :)
HedgeComber says
Ooh nice idea, enjoying real blackberry taste during the depths of winter. Thanks for the pin!
Janie x
Michele says
These look wonderful! We’ll have to give it a go (; Found you via Homestead Revival – so glad I stopped by and can’t wait to come back for more posts (:
HedgeComber says
Enjoy Michelle! x
Stacey Mathews says
How much fun! These would make great Christmas gifts….. A little taste of summer in the middle of winter.
HedgeComber says
Bet you they don’t least that long Stacey – our certainly didn’t! :)
Jennifer says
I just made these with strawberry and raspberry blended together. They are so brightly flavored, it is amazing and cmpletely uncompairable to store bought lollipops. Love it!
HedgeComber says
Great stuff Jennifer, if you’re on facebook please post pics – I’d love to see them! Janie x
Gretchen says
These look amazing – I’m definitely going to keep them on my list of ‘must try’ Thanks for linking up!
HedgeComber says
Cheers Gretchen, see you next week! Janie x
Jenny says
These were AMAZING! Bit scary when it’s all bubbling up, but the taste is just wonderful.
Thank you!
Jen
HedgeComber says
So glad you enjoyed them Jenny!
Janie x
Tanya @ Lovely Greens says
I’ve never made lollies before but I’m very tempted by your recipe! I’ll bet they’re extra delicious made with the massive thornless blackberries my allotment neighbour has growing along his plot. Mmmmmm….
HedgeComber says
DO IT!!! Will you have to wear a balaclava and pick them at midnight…? :)
Janie x
Katie says
Can you use an oven thermometer if you don’t have a jam thermometer?
Jane Sarchet says
Err, pass! Temperature wise, I don’t see why not but I think it would be best to stick to using a jam one as they are designed to be used in your food, ass opposed to just within the oven.
Janie x
Wendy says
Why does my blackberry mixture burn before it reaches the hard crack stage? I tried it twice. The second time, I made sure the heat was no higher than medium.
Jane Sarchet says
Oooh, I have no idea Wendy. What kind of pan are you using?
Janie x
Wendy says
A three quart circulon sauce pan.
Jane Sarchet says
OK I’m not familiar with them, but I just googled them and see they are non stick. I can’t imagine that would be the cause, but I used a stainless steel pan.
I’ll have a little search when I get a chance and see if I can find any info on it – if you come across anything, do let me know!
Janie x
Amy says
We used raspberries… 3 small store containers lend 3/4 c juice. I did keep cranking the heat and realized I probably just needed to wait until more water evaporated. Still even with the slightly burnt smell, they taste great and set up well.
Jane Sarchet says
Great news Amy!
Jane x
Janice says
What a fantastic recipe, I must try and make these for my grandsons, no nasty artificial sweeteners. Thanks so much for linking up to the Great British Blackberry Recipe Round Up.
Jane Sarchet says
Thanks Janice, it was my pleasure :)
Janie x
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs says
Homemade lollipops how clever! I’m always scared of confectionery as it reminds me too much of science classes. You make these look so easy though. I’ll be bookmarking this :-) now all I need are some blackberries…better get picking.
Jane Sarchet says
It is quite sciencey Emma, but way more fun than anything I ever did in a science class :D
Janie x
Elliot says
when my sugar syrup got up to around 235C it started turning brown and when it was done my sweets tasted burnt and disgusting do you have any help?
Jane Sarchet says
Oh Elliot, that’s not good and I’m so sorry you had a catastrophe. Honestly I’m no expert in making candy and I’m not sure I could offer any more advice than the recipe offers. However, I’ve just had a little google and come across this which may shed some light:
“I think the trouble may be that you are heating it too quickly.
Try heating the mixture slowly until all the sugar is completely dissolved, stirring until it is. Once the sugar is dissolved, then you can quit stirring and let it come to the boil and rise in temperature until it reaches the desired 300 degrees F.”
http://www.chocolate-candy-mall.com/why-is-my-sugar-turning-brown.html
If you do give it another go (they are worth it, I promise!) please, please let me know if this helps & I’ll add a note in the recipe for others to follow :)
Good luck!
Janie x
Beccky says
these sound yummy and our blackberry bush should start producing berries really soon.. I am also going to try this with other fruits..
Jane Sarchet says
Would love to know how you get on with them Beccky :)
Janie x
ANDREA PERRY says
Could I use Ribena in this recipe or frozen fruit?
Jane Sarchet says
Hi Andrea, honestly I’ve never tried but if you give it a go do let me know how it works out. Half my life is spent experimenting with different foods and ideas so I’d love to know how you get on :)
Terri says
These are amazing and easy! I just whipped up a batch of strawberry, and mmmmm…going to be hard not to eat them all!!
Jane Sarchet says
Yay! So glad you love them too Terri! Thanks so much for taking the time to drop such a sweet message :)
Jane x
Shreya says
Hi.. Love your recipe, it’s simple and just two ingredients! What I wanted to know was, can i replace sugar with honey? And what quantity would you recommend? Thanks.
Jane Sarchet says
Hmmm, you’ve got me there Shreya. I’m honestly not sure. However, if you do give it a go, PLEASE let us know how the experiments goes!
Jane x
Anthea says
Hi
Can I use edible black gel ink in the syrup. I need to make black sweets.
Thanks.
Anthea
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Anthea, honestly I’m not entirely sure. If you give it a go, would you let us know how it turns out for you?
Good luck!
JAne x
Katrina says
Would passionfruit work with this recipe?
Jane Sarchet says
I have no clue Katrina, but if you give it go, please let me know how it goes!
Jane x
Rebecca A Murphy says
I tried this with juice from aronia berries, with which my husband has been experimenting making gummy candies. My pan was too small, so I only managed soft ball stage, will try again.
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Rebecca, I’m not familiar with aronia berries. Would love to know how you got on second time around?
Jane x