Homemade Twizzlers

Ingredients

• 2 cups hulled strawberries
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (Juice of 1/2 large lemon; approximately 1 tablespoon.)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1.5 cups cold water
• 2.5 tbsp freeze-dried strawberries (Ground; strain out the seeds. Source quantity is 2–3 tablespoons (6–10 g); midpoint represented.)
• natural red food coloring (Optional; add during cooking if using.)

Steps

1. 1

   Add the strawberries, lemon juice, and a splash of water to a blender. Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the strawberry seeds.

2. 2

   Put the strawberry purée and granulated sugar in a wide-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for roughly 10 minutes, until the color intensifies and the syrup thickens.

3. 3

   While the syrup cooks, whisk the cake flour, 1½ cups cold water, and ground freeze-dried strawberry powder in a large mixing bowl until no clumps remain.

4. 4

   Once the syrup has thickened, reduce the heat to low. Add the flour mixture in small ¼-cup batches, whisking after each addition, until all of it is incorporated.

5. 5

   If using natural red food coloring, add it to the saucepan now.

6. 6

   Return the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching. The mixture will form clumps; continue cooking and stirring until no visibly wet sections remain and the dough looks like glossy play-doh.

7. 7

   Transfer the dough to a nonstick work surface and let it cool for a few minutes.

8. 8

   For each twist, roll two 1-tablespoon portions of dough into strands about ¼ inch thick. Wrap the strands around each other to make a roughly 8-inch twist. Roll the strands together gently to help them adhere, then trim the ends. A piping bag or spritz cookie press is offered as an alternative, though both are not recommended by the source.

9. 9

   Finish the shaped Twizzlers using either method: dehydrate at 140°F for roughly 5 hours, or place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at the oven’s lowest setting for 3–4 hours with the oven door slightly cracked open. They should be chewy but not tough, with a center that is no longer wet; test by taking a bite.

Notes

Makes approximately 20–25 Twizzlers. The source recommends straining both strawberry purée and freeze-dried strawberries to remove seeds, though it says the freeze-dried strawberry straining can be skipped if some crunch is acceptable. The structured instructions specify dehydrating at 140°F for roughly 5 hours; the body excerpt notes 4½–5 hours and suggests testing after about 4 hours. The source gives a range for freeze-dried strawberries; the listed amount uses its midpoint. A splash of water is used for blending but is not quantified.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• candy
• strawberry
• fruit-based
• homemade
• dehydrated
• baked option
• vegetarian