sweet & sour mandarin gummies
Sweet, tangy, and bursting with real mandarin flavour. These homemade gummies taste a bit like the sweet & sour candies we grew up on, but are made with fresh fruit juice, a little honey, and gelatine. A fun lunchbox treat with actual nutrients, including vitamin C and amino acids.
- 200 ml freshly squeezed mandarin juice
- A splash of lime juice
- Honey to taste
- 2 tbsp unflavoured gelatine powder
Mix the mandarin juice, lime juice and honey. Taste and adjust until slightly sweeter and tangier than you'd normally like (gelatine mellows the flavour).
Sprinkle the gelatine evenly over the cold juice mixture. Leave for 5 minutes to bloom.
Warm over very low heat, stirring until the gelatine has completely dissolved. Do not boil.
Use a pipette or syringe to fill your silicone gummy moulds.
Refrigerate for 1–2 hours, or until fully set.
Texture check
- Too soft → add a little more gelatine next time.
- Too firm → reduce the gelatine slightly.
- Not flavourful enough → add more lime or maple syrup before setting.
- Lots of air bubbles → let the liquid settle for a minute before filling the moulds.
- Just 4 ingredients: No artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives.
- More than just candy: Fresh mandarin juice provides vitamin C, while gelatine adds amino acids used to maintain body tissues.
- Naturally sweetened: You control how much honey goes in.
- Easy to make ahead: A few minutes of prep, then let the fridge do the rest.
- Kid-approved flavour: Sweet, sour, and satisfyingly chewy.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep chilled until ready to serve, as homemade gelatine gummies can soften at room temperature.
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