Author Topic: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops  (Read 10288 times)

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Offline Bakersdozen

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Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« on: October 12, 2014, 07:55:00 pm »
After Yankee's thread about Honey lollipops, I thought I would give Honey Cough Drops a try.  A search on line led me to several recipes, so I combined several and did my own thing. 
I used:
1 cup honey
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 cup brewed Echinacea Plus tea with Elderberry
lemon extract
cornstarch
candy thermometer
2 qt. saucepan
wooden spoon or something to stir with that can take high heat
parchment paper
sheet pan with sides

After brewing the tea, add 1/2 cup along with honey into sauce pan.  Heat on medium heat, stirring.  After the honey/tea starts to simmer add the lemon juice.  Continue to boil, still stirring.  This will take quite a while as you are reducing down the liquid.  Using the candy thermometer, heat the mix anywhere between 260 degrees to 300 degrees.  I heated to 280 degrees, a happy medium.  Remove from heat and stir in about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of lemon extract.  I then stirred to eliminate bubbles and then quickly poured on to sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  Let cool until the substance and be worked with your hands.  Roll into cough drop size balls and then coat with corn starch.  I had about a spoonful of cornstarch in a small bowl and rolled the balls in the cornstarch.  Place on a plate.  I got about 25 cough drops of various sizes.  I placed the plate inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerated.  They are supposed to last six months.
As with making candy, heating to 300 degrees will result in a brittle "candy" that you will probably have the consistency of peanut brittle.  Heating only to 260 degrees will achieve a very soft candy.  That's why I chose to heat to 280 degrees.
As no one has a sore throat here, so I can't tell you the healing properties of the cough drops.  I will say they made pretty tasty candy that will pull the fillings out of your teeth! ;D

Offline Jen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2014, 08:26:02 pm »
Hey! Way to go Baker. Now when you say they will pull the fillings out of your teeth, does that mean that these candies are somewhat chewy?
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2014, 10:20:14 pm »
thanks bakers! will have to try this.......what about using lime juice and extract instead of lemon........?  don't care for anything lemon flavored.  do you think this change might work?

and no fillings, just  crowns.......and a bridge.......... :D
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2014, 08:52:13 am »
Hey! Way to go Baker. Now when you say they will pull the fillings out of your teeth, does that mean that these candies are somewhat chewy?

STICKY! :laugh: The stuck on your teeth sticky.  The sticky that you use your tongue to try to get it off, give up and use your finger!   It was tasty too.  A lot like candy.
I thought possibly those drops might be nice put in a cup of Echinacea tea and dissolved.  That would be comforting.
Jen:  Is there any herb that would be beneficial for cough drops, besides the Echinacea?   I am thinking maybe chamomile?  Eucalyptus? It has to taste good too.  That's important.

Offline Jen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2014, 03:32:46 pm »
Propolis! and it doesn't have a taste, but it is brewed in everclear, and it does smell like the hive.... hmmm, but I'm thinging that thru the candy making process that that alcohol would burn out. and you would need to put it into the candy making process when the temp isn't too high as to not burn out the healing qualities.

It is exceptional for throat pain and healing. Let's see now... this is going to be a guess. If it were me making these drops I would like to have one or two drops of propolis in each piece of candy. It does have a touch of slipperyness to it also.

I called my friend who is an herbalist and alchemist, the first thing that came to her mind is horehound for sore throats and coughs. However, it is a bitter plant. She's going to call me tonight after she's looked in her herb book. So I'll have more suggestions soon.

The general rule of propolis is to put a small piece on tongue and let the prop/saliva bath the throat. So I don't think it would be hard to add it to a candy.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2014, 01:30:22 pm »
Hi Baker, I noticed your recipe has brewed echinacea and elderberry. Here is some other options for brewing ~

http://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/sore-throat-natural-remedies#MarshmallowRoot7
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2014, 06:07:10 pm »
"the first thing that came to her mind is horehound for sore throats and coughs"

horehound?

YYYUUUUUKKKKKK!!!!!!....................... :D
that stuff is nasty tasting!
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Offline Jen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2014, 06:22:29 pm »
AHahahah! I know! I know! :D It was the first thing that came to mind a few days ago when Baker ask my advice. But just today I sent a link with much more pleasant options. I don't even know if anyone uses horehound anymore, but out grandparents seem to have fond memories of it. Shudder
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2014, 03:08:12 am »
Thanks for the link, Jen.  I haven't had an opportunity to play with this in the last few days. 

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2014, 07:36:17 am »
UPDATE:  Well, this needs some more work.  I placed the cough drops on a plate, put the plate in a Ziploc bag, and refrigerated.  The cough drops are glued to the plate.  I can't get them off.  So I have no idea how effective they are.  What could I individually wrap each drop in that will come off when you unwrap it?

Offline Jen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #10 on: October 25, 2014, 12:46:30 pm »
Maybe if you warmed up the plate? Gosh, I don't know...

Did you by chance put propolis in those drops? if, so, that might be why they are cemented down  :D

I'm thinking the stiff clear celophane that suckers come in?
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Offline efmesch

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2014, 01:16:35 pm »
I vote with Jen---find a way to include propolis in the "candy/throat drops. Perhaps mix in some raw, cleaned 100% pure propolis to the ingredients when you start to cool down the mixture.

Stuck to the plate?  How about placing it in the freezer (not the fridge)and when the whole business is good and cold, hit them at the edges with the front of a sharp spatula.  In principle, that should knock them loose.  ???

Offline Jen

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #12 on: October 26, 2014, 03:11:00 pm »
That's good info Ef  :)  I do know that when I'm collecting propolis in a dish or a pie plate, I stick it in the freezer and after an hour or so I just knock it a little bit with a table knife and the propolis shatters.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Homemade Honey Lemon Cough drops
« Reply #13 on: October 26, 2014, 08:48:21 pm »
wax paper?........ :yes:
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
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