Mints - Altoid Style

Total Time: 48 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 48 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 lb gum paste (from candy section of craft store)
• 15 -20 drops essential oils, peppermint (food grade)
• 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring (or sub paste or gel food coloring)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Recipe

• 1 open bag of gum paste & add the peppermint (or other flavor of your choosing).
• 2 close bag & knead until well incorporated.
• 3 remove 1/2 of gum paste (cover & set aside).
• 4 add food coloring to paste left in bag & knead to incorporate.
• 5 - from this point, you may want to wear some kitchen gloves (you know - thin, food handling type, so you don't end up with red hands. you may also want to work on parchment or a cutting board to keep your counter from possibly staining :) -.
• 6 remove red paste from bag, finish kneading color in, if necessary.
• 7 working fairly quickly, to avoid the candy drying out (you can use the powdered sugar to dust the surface you're working on).
• 8 split red & pastes in half & roll in to 4 long, thin ropes.
• 9 place 4 ropes together & roll into one rope approximately 1/2 inch in diameter.
• 10 with a very sharp knife cut into 1/4 inch pieces.
• 11 if they squish a little, due to cutting, just press back in to round.
• 12 toss in a 9 x 13 baking pan and air dry for 48 hours.
• 13 package in little cellophane bags or little tins (washed), etc, from the craft store.
• 14 note - cooking time is drying time.
• 15 from cheeky kitchen 2011.