Remember those tasty gummy treats we all loved when we were kids?
Gummy bears, Gummy Worms, Gum Drops, Sour Patch, Haribo Goldbears, JuJu Fruits, Swedish Fish….any sound familiar? I know I certainly loved those gummy chewy fruit treats when I was a kid. Nothing better than going to a movie and eating those sugary treats! I was never fond of the black liquorish flavor…that one I happily passed to my little brother, lol
photo thanks to pixabay
I always loved reading the list of ingredients, “made with real fruit juice.” Then as you read further, you notice the dyes, processed sugars and then of course the preservatives….
My grandson loves blueberries and reading books! Have you read The Giving Tree? Wonderful book, I can't wait to share it with him. As I prepared to visit him this week I thought it would be fun to make blueberry gummy drops. Traveling is always tough with little ones, healthy snacks are the best. Having something which won’t squish or crumble would be a big help for mom and dad!
Little did I realize how simple this would be! Just 3 simple ingredients!
- Fresh Blueberries (1 pint)
- Agar Powder (1 ½ tbsp.)
- Fresh Lemon Juice (1 tbsp.)
Fresh blueberries, such a healthy fruit!
They’re low in sugar, high in fiber, vitamins and amazing antioxidants. Although the little guy loves blueberries, occasionally he loves to squish them…now I’m sure your little ones wouldn’t do that right?
Washed and blended
Along with the lemon juice, it’s perfectly sweet! I think adding lemon really enhances the blueberry flavor. If your blueberries aren’t quite sweet enough feel free to add just a touch of maple syrup.
Now the magic ingredient…
Agar Powder! It’s amazing! This will help create the gummy texture! Add a tablespoon to the blueberry puree, stir and let it stand for 10 minutes in a small saucepan. This allows the Agar to dissolve completely. Now bring to a boil, stirring frequently and boil for 1 minute, yes 1 minute only. Remove from heat and stir periodically until it begins to thicken and will hold shape when dripped.
Pour the blueberry puree...
into a plastic bag or if you have a cake decorating bag this will work well. I clipped the corner and squeezed penny sized dots out on a parchment lined dehydrator tray. Dehydrate on the lowest setting. Note: I haven’t tried this in the oven yet, but I’m sure you can. You’ll just have to use the lowest oven setting and check them frequently.
After about 9 hours they were ready!
Just pinch them between your fingers, you’ll know when they’re ready! Just don’t over dehydrate….they’ll turn out like rubber. Trust me, I know, lol!
Notice I tried to make gummy worms?
Well, let’s just say, its still a work in progress! Hopefully he won’t notice!
Books ready to go, Gummy Drops and Worms! We’re set
Nothing better than Blueberry Gumdrops and the Giving Tree!
Bags all packed, all set to go! I’ll let you know how they’re received. Mr. Bird certainly liked them, and I have to say I did too! Just imagine all of the fruity flavors we can come up with! Your kids (both big and small) will love them. Let me know if you try them, I would love to hear! Thanks for stopping by!
And as always, blessings to you all
