Horehound Candy Recipe

Horehound candy is an old-fashioned candy which is very famous in European countries. This candy is prepared from extract obtained from the leaves, flowers and stems of horehound plant. The horehound plant, Marrubium vulgare, is a flowering plant native to Europe, Africa and Asia and belongs to the mint family. Romans and Egyptians have admired this plant for its useful medicinal properties. Even the English herbalist, John Gerard, considered this plant as a remedy to cold and cough. Horehound candy taste is bitter-sweet and is helpful in soothing itchy throat. Cream of tartar, sugar, horehound extract are some of the main horehound candy ingredients. Horehound candy history takes us back to times of 18th century when the American colonists used to grow horehound in their garden in order to make candies from boiled sugar.

How to Make Horehound Candy

Recipe #1: Using Traditional Ingredients

Ingredients

• Dried horehound leaves, flowers and stems - ¼ cup
• Water - 3 quarts
• Brown sugar - 3 cups
• Cream of tartar - 1 teaspoon
• Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon
• Butter - 1 teaspoon
• Superfine sugar

Procedure

Take a pot, pour water to it and bring it to boil. Then, remove the pot from heat and add the horehound in it. Leave horehound to steep in this hot water for about half an hour. Later, strain the leaves, flowers, stems and leave the liquid to settle. To prepare the first batch of horehound candies, take 2 and ½ cup of the liquid and pour it into a saucepan. Then, add cream of tartar, brown sugar, lemon juice to it and bring the liquid to boil. Use a cooking thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. When the temperature of the liquid reaches 240 degree Fahrenheit, add butter and continue boiling the liquid until the temperature reaches 312 degree Fahrenheit. Do not stir the liquid when it boils. Now, pour the liquid into a shallow buttered pan and leave it. Shape the mixture into small candies and roll these candies into superfine sugar. Then, with help of wax paper store these candies.

Recipe #2: Using Simple Ingredients

Ingredients

• Horehound tea (loosely packed) - 1 cup
• Sugar - 4 cups
• Dark corn syrup - 2 cups

Procedure

Prepare strong horehound tea by boiling the tea leaves in water. Then drain the leaves and collect one cup of the liquid. Then, take a saucepan and combine sugar, corn syrup and one cup of horehound tea. Boil the liquid until it begins to caramel. Now, turn off the heat and pour the caramelized liquid on a greased cookie sheet to form a thin layer. When the liquid starts hardening on its edges cut the candies with cookie cutters.

Recipe #3: Using Organic Ingredients

Ingredients

• Horehound leaves and stems - 1¾ pints
• Water - 1 pint
• Organic sugar - 3 cups
• Organic butter - ½ cup

Procedure

First, prepare a strong brew of horehound tea by boiling the stems and leaves of horehound in water for about 30 minutes. Then, strain the tea and add sugar to the horehound extract. Boil the liquid and add butter to it. Let the liquid boil until it caramels. Then, pour it into a greased shallow tin and cut it into squares when it hardens.

These were some easy to make horehound candy recipes. So, now that you know how to prepare these horehound candies at home, make these candies and store them in tight jars. Happy Cooking!