Soundtrack: My Funny Valentine, Frank Sinatra

finished conversation hearts

Supplies:
standing mixer
measuring cups/spoons
spatula
silpat lined baking sheet
food safe gloves
food safe pen (i used Gourmet Writer)
small heart shaped cookie cutter

Ingredients:
1/4 oz gelatin (one packet)
4 oz sprite
40 oz powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
extract options
corresponding food coloring

ingredients

weigh out all ingredients on scale (if you don’t have a scale i have a feeling the accuracy isn’t too finicky in this recipe so just convert. ie: 40oz is roughly 5 cups)

melting

combine gelatin and sprite in heat safe bowl. mix with fork over simmering water just until gelatin is melted.

mixing

in standard mixer with beater attachment, place gelatin sprite mixture and one cup powdered sugar. mix on low speed.

dough

continue to add in more powdered sugar and mix to combine until a play dough like consistency forms.

kneading

knead dough with more powdered sugar if necessary (for me it was).

dividing

divide into however many flavors you plan on making

flavor coloring

wearing food safe rubber gloves, add in small amount of flavoring (i used a scant 1/4tsp) and coloring. mix in hands to combine

cutting

flatten out (with rolling pin or hand). use cookie cutter to cut out hearts. pace on silpat lined baking sheet to harden out overnight.

noms

decorate using food safe pen <3

Lessons Learned:

• gosh i hate my handwriting
• i wish the pen had a skinnier point
• don’t stop adding in powdered sugar too soon. i thought i was at the right consistency but when i tried to roll and cut out the hearts it kept sticking to the board. i had to work in more powdered sugar to make it work, which is no big deal, but it would have been easier in the mixer in the first place.
• i put some candy hearts on a drying rack which left some marks on the back. again, no big deal since these are going to loved ones, but i should have put them on another baking sheet (my other one was occupied with hardening up marshmallows so my kitchen was quite the confectional sight)
• i mixed some colors together when i didn’t have enough to make a full heart and got these:
  

  frankenheart

  super cute, but i forgot to consider flavor mixing. luckily my flavors aren’t that pronounced, but just something to be noted.

Review: these are so so so much fun to make. the flavors i did were: strawberry, champagne, brandy, peppermint, and vanilla. i loved all of the flavors, except brandy, which now reminds me of that eggnog fudge i made, which is sadly a flavor i cannot seem to get on board with. i was supposed to write on them with a friend, but we got sidetracked so the majority of mine still remain unadorned. however they’re so adorable i don’t really mind. apparently Sprite is what gives them that flavor profile reminiscent of actual candy hearts, whatever it is – it works. these turn out a bit softer than the store bought kind, but you can leave them out for more nights if that’s what you want to eventually achieve.