Recipes

Homemade Bubble Gum Recipe | Family Fun | Gum Books for Kids | Writing Research

~ Carole Marie ~ Leave a comment

Making Bubble Gum

While writing a fun story about bubble gum, I wondered if I could make my own gum from home.
I found a video showing how to make bubblegum and copied it. Finding the gum base to purchase took more searching than I anticipated, but don’t worry; I’m sharing my source here so you can easily find it.

Making bubble gum was a sticky process, and the first time around, we learned too late that using our nice dishes for mixing ingredients wasn’t the best option (we had to use rubbing alcohol to remove the gum base from our dishes and silverware afterward).

Once we switched to using paper bowls and a wooden stirring stick, the clean-up was a breeze. (The image on the left features gum base and flavor drop bottles.)

We purchased a gum base that is made in the USA from HungryRobot. It doesn’t smell very good when you pull it out of the package, but after adding the flavor oils and powdered sugar, it smells and tastes amazing.

We used two capfuls of either Bubblegum flavor or Cotton Candy flavor from LorAnn Oils, as we tested batches. With one batch, we also added a few drops of the LorAnn Tart and Sour Flavor Enhancer, which gave the gum a tangy sour punch. (Be aware that the more liquids you add to the gum base, the more powdered sugar you’ll need later.)

We also experimented with different food colors, but classic pink was our favorite.

After testing and verifying measurements, we invited guests to join in on the gum-making. We’ve had three bubble gum-making parties with teens and adults, followed each time by a bubble-blowing contest – what a blast!

Want to make bubble gum, too? You’ll find the recipe below. If you make homemade bubble gum, let me know. I’d love to hear your results!

Print Recipe

Homemade Bubble Gum

Equipment

  • 1 Paper bowl
  • 1 Paper plate
  • 1 Wood craft stick or plastic spoon
  • Cutting utensil or plastic knife
  • Wax paper or parchment paper, cut into squares

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 TBLS Unflavored Gum Base (or 30 grams)
  • 3 TBLS Corn Syrup
  • Flavor Drops Such as Cotton Candy or Bubble Gum flavors. We used 2 capfuls.
  • 1 Drop Food Coloring Red provides the classic bubblegum pink color
  • 2 TBLS Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  • In a paper bowl, microwave the gum base in ten-second increments until it’s fully melted. (use the wood craft stick to stir it)
  • Add the corn syrup, and continue microwaving in ten-second increments and stirring until fully mixed.
  • Add the flavor drops and stir.
  • Add the food coloring and stir. Set aside.
  • Pour the powdered sugar onto the paper plate.
  • Pour the melted ingredients into the middle of the powdered sugar.
  • Use the craft stick to pile surrounding powdered sugar onto the top of the mixture.
  • Using your fingers, press more powdered sugar in.
  • Massage the sugar in while adding more and more powdered sugar until the mixture is no longer sticky.
  • Roll the gum into a log.
  • Cut into gum-size pieces.
  • Drop the pieces back into the powdered sugar and roll.
  • Shake the sugar loose and roll each piece inside wax or parchment paper. Twist ends.

Notes

*We purchased gum base that is made in the USA from HungryRobot https://hungryrobot.com/products/base
**We used two capfuls of either Bubblegum flavor or Cotton Candy flavor from LorAnn Oils https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJMGG3MW?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_bAmazon.com: LorAnn SS Flavor combo Pack – Bubble Gum and Cotton Candy – 1 Ounce : Grocery & Gourmet Food_fed_…

As I researched bubble gum, I learned about archeological evidence showing that chewing gum has existed for a long time. The Mayans, ancient Greeks, and others chewed gum. The world’s oldest preserved chewing gum is 9,000 years old and made from birch bark in Sweden.

More Fun Facts About Bubblegum:

*A British archeologist once discovered a 5,000-year-old piece of chewing gum in Finland. It was made from bark tar and still contained tooth imprints.

*The oldest bubble gum brand, Blibber-Blubber, started in 1906, but it was way too sticky. In 1928, Walter Diemer discovered a successful formula called Bubble Dubble, which is still being sold today.

*The most expensive chewing gum in the world is called Mastika Gum. If you’d like to try the gum that elitists and royal families worldwide chew, you can buy it online.

*The current world record for the most chewing gum chewed at one time is 250 pieces. Yikes!

*All forms of chewing gum have been banned in Singapore since 1992.

Picture Book Recommendations:

As I searched for picture books that feature bubble gum (to use as inspiration, mentor texts, and comp titles for the story I wrote), these books stood out as my favorites. Take a look!

*On Account of the Gum, by Adam Rex

*Bubble Gum Bison Needs a Bath by Scott Rothman

*Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy

Coconut Button Cookies | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Making Memories | Recipes by Carole Marie

~ Carole Marie ~ 2 Comments

If you love coconut, you’ll adore these soft cookies that melt in your mouth. Coconut Buttons are gluten free and dairy free!

This cookie recipe was developed by accident… I was making cookies and realized I didn’t have flour, so I scoured my pantry, looking for an alternative. I found coconut flour and discovered how quickly it absorbs liquid while mixing. I made some adjustments, and voila!

Tips for success:

  • Use only coconut flour. (Don’t substitute with a different kind of flour or a mix of flours.) Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, which is what you want for this recipe.
  • If the dough is too wet/sticky to roll, let the dough sit longer to absorb more liquid.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Coconut Buttons

Soft coconut cookies without gluten or dairy.
Author: Carole Marie Shelton

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Vegan butter (I use Miyokos)
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 Cup Coconut flour
  • 1 Cup Coconut, shredded

Instructions

  • Melt butter.
  • Blend together eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract.
  • Stir in the coconut flour. Let sit for at least ten minutes, allowing the liquids to be absorbed by the flour.
  • Roll dough into balls (dough will be sticky), then roll in shredded coconut.
  • Bake at 350 degrees, 8-9 minutes.

ChocoMountain Cupcakes | Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Making Memories | Recipes by Carole Marie

~ Carole Marie ~ Leave a comment

If you’re looking for a yummy chocolate dessert that is high in protein, gluten-free, and dairy-free, you’ll want to try these Choco-Mountain Cupcakes!

A few tips for success:

  • Use only coconut flour. (Don’t substitute with a different kind.) Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, which is what you want for this recipe.
  • Refrigerate overnight. Don’t skip this step. As the dough sits overnight, the chocolate flavor is enhanced, and the bean flavor is reduced.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

ChocoMountain Cupcakes

High protein cupcakes that are dairy-free and gluten-free
Course: Dessert

Ingredients

  • 1 15-oz can Black beans
  • 5 Eggs
  • 1 TBL Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 6 TBL Coconut oil, melted
  • 1 1/4 cups Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Coconut flour Do not substitute with a different kind of flour.
  • 6 TBLS Cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda

Instructions

  • Drain black beans.
  • Mix beans, eggs, vanilla, salt, and coconut oil into a blender. Blend on high until beans are completely liquified – no lumps!
  • Ina separate bowl, whisk together sugar, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder.  
  • Add bean batter into dry mixture. Beat on high with a hand mixer for one minute, until smooth.
  • Refrigerate overnight (this removes the bean flavor)
  • Pour into cupcake tins with liners and bake at 325 for 20minutes.
  • When cool, frost with Faux (Non-Dairy) Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Notes

  • Use only coconut flour. (Don’t substitute with a different kind.) Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, which is what you want for this recipe.
  • Refrigerate overnight. Don’t skip this step. As the dough sits overnight, the chocolate flavor is enhanced, and the bean flavor is reduced.
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Chocolate Faux Buttercream Frosting

Dairy-Free chocolate frosting

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Vegan (plant-based) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup Powdered sugar
  • 5 TBL Cocoa powder
  • 3 TBL Oat milk, extra creamy
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp Almond extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  • With a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter in a bowl until fluffy.
  • Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl and blend with a spoon.
  • Spread onto cupcakes.

Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls | Making Memories | Recipes by Carole Marie

~ Carole Marie ~ 3 Comments

Cinnamon has been prized as an extravagant spice since 2,000 B.C. The cinnamon, harvested from a thin layer of tree bark, is dried for transportation and later ground to a fine powder for use in cooking and baking. It was imported from Egypt to China as a gift for royalty in ancient times. And Roman spice traders brought cinnamon to Europe from Sri Lanka.

Sweden began using cinnamon in its pastries, developing the first cinnamon bun (kanelbulle). The Scandinavians like to refer to them as ‘edible hugs’.

Cinnamon rolls in the U.S. are sweeter, richer, and more indulgent than in Sweden. Our cinnamon rolls are dripping with cinnamon, sugar, and butter and we certainly enjoy having these gooey, mouthwatering pastries any chance we can get.

I’ve created a dairy-free version that is just as delectable and satisfying as the original.  Wake your family one morning with these delicious, pull-apart rolls for breakfast. Or enjoy them for dessert one evening! They are best when warm, topped with frosting, and served with a smile.  

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Dairy-Free Cinnamon Rolls

Servings: 12
Author: Carole Marie Shelton

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 1 cup warm plant milk
  • 2 1/2 tsp Instant dry yeast
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup vegan butter softened or melted (but not hot)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4 1/2 cups flour

Filling:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 TBLS cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter softened

Just before baking:

  • 1/2 cup warm coconut cream (not coconut milk)

Frosting:

  • 6 ounces vegan cream cheese softened
  • 1/3 cup vegan butter softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 TBLS vanilla

Instructions

  • Combine the warm plant milk with the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Add eggs, butter, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add 4 cups of the flour (save the remaining ½ cup to add later, only if needed). Mix well, then allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.
  • Using the dough hook, knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth. Add in up to ½ cup of remaining flour if needed.
  • Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover, and allow the dough to rise until doubled.
  • While the dough is rising prepare the filling – combine the brown sugar and cinnamon.
  • After the dough has risen, sprinkle the work surface with flour. Roll the dough into a 24×15 rectangle, or as close as you can get it.
  • Spread the softened vegan butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly over the butter.
  • On the long end of the dough, roll it tightly. Cut into 12slices and place into a greased 9×13 baking pan.  Cover and allow the rolls to rise until nearly double in size.
  • After the rolls have risen, remove the cover and pour the warm(not hot) coconut cream over all the rolls.
  • Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Rolls should be lightly browned and center rolls cooked through.
  • While rolls are cooling, prepare the frosting.  Mix the softened vegan cream cheese and softened vegan butter with an electric hand mixer.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Beat until blended well.
  • Spread frosting over the cooled rolls.

Making Giant Gingerbread Men for Christmas | Hospitality in the Home | Holiday Traditions

~ Carole Marie ~ Leave a comment

In the sixteenth century, Queen Elizabeth of England wanted cakes spiced with ginger to be baked in the shapes of her friends. Since then, gingerbread men have been a popular holiday treat for households and as gifts to those we care about.

Early December, we have an annual Christmas tradition of baking gingerbread men – but we make them GIANT! They are about the size of a dinner plate and are so fun to decorate that every year we invite friends over for a party.

Each guest receives their own freshly-baked giant gingerbread man on parchment paper. They are instructed to cover the soft gingerbread with vanilla icing as a base. In the center of the table we provide a plethora of candies to decorate the iced gingerbread men.  We listen to Christmas music, turn on the Christmas lights and make it a festive and memorable time for all.

Our favorite decorative toppings are:

  • Chocolate chips
  • Licorice/Twizzlers
  • M&Ms (both with and without peanuts)
  • Skittles
  • Gummy worms
  • Gum drops
  • Sour Patch Kids
  • Jelly beans
  • Caramel bits
  • Mini marshmallows
  • Sprinkles

To make your own giant gingerbread men from scratch, use the recipe below. Once the dough is mixed, roll about a 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface.

Print this template. Cut out the shape, then place it over the rolled dough. Using a knife, carefully cut the dough around the template. Peel the paper template away (save it for the next gingerbread man), then use a spatula to move your gingerbread figure to a cookie sheet.

Once the gingerbread men are baked, remove them from the cookie sheet. Once cool, stack them between squares of parchment paper until you are ready to decorate them.

It’s always fun to see the final results – we’ve ended up with our gingerbread men looking like celebrities, zombies, fairy tale characters, the president and more. It’s so easy, and it’s a great reason to have lots of friends over to celebrate the Christmas season!

Print Recipe

Gingerbread Men

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cups molasses
  • 2/3 cup cold water
  • 7 cups white flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Mix brown sugar, softened butter, molasses and water. Stir in remaining ingredients.
  • Heat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheet lightly. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool. Decorate.
    Makes approximately ten giant gingerbread men.

Dairy-Free Cream Puffs | Making Memories | Recipes by Carole Marie

~ Carole Marie ~ 5 Comments

One of our favorite Valentine traditions is to make Cream Puffs. These golden puffs are filled with rich, creamy goodness and are hard to resist. This year we also made a dairy free version, which was equally delicious! And as you can see in the photos above, it’s hard to tell which are the dairy version and which are dairy-free.

Be prepared for lots of fast, consistent stirring. If you can get someone to help you in the kitchen while cooking the dough, they are much easier to make.

For the recipe below, be sure to use canned coconut cream – not coconut milk.

Serve these up for lots of smiles and enjoy a sweet Valentine’s Day treat!  

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Dairy-Free Cream Puffs

Author: Carole Marie Shelton

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 eggs
  • Non-Dairy Cream Filling (see recipe below)
  • Non-Dairy Sweetened Cream (see recipe below)
  • Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 400. Heat water and coconut cream to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in flour; reduce heat. Stir vigorously over low heat about 1 minute or until mixture forms into a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, all at once; continue beating until smooth. Drop dough by ¼ cup cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Let cool.  Cut off top third of each puff. Fill puffs with cream filling. Replace tops, dallop with sweetened cream, and dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate until serving time.
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Non-Dairy Cream Filling

Author: Carole Marie Shelton

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 TBSP cornstarch
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 TBSP coconut cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt into a saucepan. Gradually stir in almond milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir one minute. Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Stir into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in coconut cream and vanilla.  Let cool, then refrigerate for an hour before using it to fill the puffs.
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Non-Dairy Sweetened Cream

Author: Carole Marie Shelton

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut cream
  • 1 TBSP agave
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Mix together until smooth. Refrigerate for two hours to thicken.  When ready to serve, stir until fluffy and put a dallop on each cream puff.