The Princess rarely gets sick, yet in the last school term she managed three colds within a ten week period. Unfortunately, when she gets sick we all suffer. There is little I can do to prevent the illnesses, I know, but that will not stop me trying. I am now employing everything in my home remedy arsenal to ward off the common cold in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the last term. Whilst it is difficult to get her to swallow large pills of olive leaf extract or zinc, she is more than happy to munch on these cold busting coconut gummie snacks.
Everybody has a home remedy to either keep colds and flu at bay, or to help ease the symptoms if you weren’t that successful in avoiding the virus in the first place. Most of these remedies seem to feature ginger, turmeric and/or honey. All I had to do was get them into gummie form. Enter the coconut milk. Coconut oil is high in lauric acid, which is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory. A good coconut milk will be high in coconut oil, yet still be thin enough when heated to dissolve the gelatin. Be wary when buying your coconut milk. Some are loaded with gums and thickeners, even the organic ones, so make sure you read the label before buying. Personally, I purchase conventional coconut milk as research indicates that even in plantations where pesticides are used, no pesticide residue can be detected within the coconut itself.
The key ingredient in these gummies though is the gelatine. It is what takes this recipe from a creamy drink to something you can really get your teeth into. Gelatine is so much more than just a setting agent, as I explained when I made the strawberry marshmallows. What better way to get something with health benefits into a child than to dress it up as something sweet.
I coloured my gummies with a natural orange food colouring. A totally unnecessary step but it does make them look more appealing to a child. Just remember that the base color of these gummies is the yellow-brown of the turmeric and unrefined sugar, so if you wish to color them make sure you choose a color that will work with this.
The Princess has just started a new school term and has been enjoying a gummie or two after school each day. I know it is early days but so far there is no sign of a cold, whereas by this time last term she had already developed the first one. Fingers crossed!
These gummies are barely sweet as we prefer them that way. Additional sugar or honey may be required if you prefer them to be sweeter. Taste the mixture before you add the gelatine and adjust the sweetness accordingly.
The number of gummies this recipe makes is entirely dependant on the size of your moulds. Adjust the size of the mold to the size of the child, but don't make them too big or they become a bit much.
All Tablespoon measurements in this recipe are 15ml Author: Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar or honey (or more to taste)
- 1 Tablespoon grated fresh turmeric (or more to taste)
- 2 Tablespoons powdered gelatine
- You will also need silicone chocolate, candy or ice cube moulds.
- Set the silicone mould(s) onto a tray and set aside
- Place the coconut milk, ginger, turmeric and coconut sugar (if using) into a small saucepan and slowly heat the liquid until it is just starting to simmer.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside for 15 - 30 minutes to allow the aromatics to infuse the coconut milk.
- Strain the coconut milk through a fine sieve, mixing the ground ginger and turmeric with a spoon to ensure you extract all the milk.
- Rinse the saucepan and add the strained coconut milk.
- If you are using honey as your sweetener, stir it in now.
- Sprinkle the gelatine over the surface of the coconut milk, whisking gently as you do so to incorporate it into the milk.
- Allow the milk to sit for 2-3 minutes, which allows the gelatine to absorb some liquid. This process is called 'blooming'. The coconut milk will turn to a thick paste, which is how it is supposed to look. Don't panic.
- Return the saucepan to a low heat, and whisk continuously until the gelatine melts and the mixture becomes smooth. You should not be able to see any little specks of gelatine remaining in the milk.
- Remove from the heat and spoon into your moulds.
- Place the moulds into the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm.
- Pop out your gummies and enjoy!
Keep the gummies in a sealed container in the fridge. They should last at least a week.
I have coloured my gummies with natural food colouring because I think they look cute. This is totally unnecessary but does make them more appealing to children. Just remember that the base color of these is yellow-brown so choose your colouring accordingly. I used an orange food color. 3.2.2708
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