When we're kids, we dream of the day when we can do all of the things we enjoy with impunity. Staying up late, eating as much sugar as we want, and never having to go to school or work ever again. As we get older, we learn that some of those habits are not the healthiest for us. We need our sleep, we can't only eat sugar and pizza, and believe it or not, work and school are good for us (dare we say even fun!).

We may not always be able to live out all of our childhood power trips, but there is one dream that we can all still chase, one flex every child in every candy store ever has wanted to pull: the power of the gummy.

That's right folks, easy, fast, and (for those full-on adults out there) healthy gummy bears.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Gummy bears are magic. An enigma saved only for the mysterious factories of candy makers and fancy bakeries. Surely such greatness cannot be captured in a mere home kitchen. But I'm here to tell you that you're wrong. Not only are gummy bears simple to make, they're also incredibly fast to create. The power is yours.

Let's get started.

The first step to making tea gummy bears, of course, is to choose and steep your tea. For ours, we chose Apricot Green, since its bright and fruity flavors are well suited to this kind of treat, though you could choose something else. Also, for transparency, we started with this recipe from Food Network as a base, though there are a lot of others that you can try.

For the tea itself, you'll want to steep it at at least triple strength (3 tsp. per 1 c. of water for most teas), though you can go stronger if you like by adding more tea. Do not steep the tea for longer, as that can cause it to burn. Once your tea is steeped, allow it to cool a little, as high temperatures can scald gelatin and prevent it from blooming and gelling properly.

Once your tea is a little cooler, gently reheat it over low heat with your gelatin and honey, making sure the gelatin is fully dissolved. To check, just lift your mixing spoon and look for gelatin granules.

Once it's ready, transfer the mix into a measuring cup or small batter bowl to make it easier to pour. Place your molds on a sheet pan (you can find them at most craft or baking stores), and pour the tea mix into your molds. Put them in the fridge until they're fully set, about ten minutes. Unmold your gummy bears by pulling lightly at the edge of the top of the molds (the top edges of the gummy bears should pull away from the mold) and then pushing up from the bottom. Store in an air-tight container.

Customization

The gummy bears from this recipe will come out a natural champagne color. However, if you want to change things up, you can add food coloring at any stage. If you want to tweak the flavors, you can also play with the strength and ratios of the honey and tea. For example, if you want to try a different kind of sugar, you could dissolve Adagio's
Amber Sugar Crystals into your tea before adding the gelatin. There are also a wide variety of honey varieties to choose from if you want to compliment different flavors.

Presentation

Once your gummy bears are done, there are a variety of ways to serve them (aside from, of course, by the fistful from a giant bowl while you're on the couch). As we mentioned, these ones have a beautiful champagne color, so you could serve them in champagne flutes at a party for a fun twist on a classy look. Giving them to kids? Try colored or patterned cellophane bags. Use tags and sticker to decorate and label mason jars filled with these treats, or, if you really want to lean into the tea side of things (I mean, who doesn't, right?) put some in a tea cup, wrap it in cellophane, and give it as a gift (just watch your timing as these are not as shelf stable as other gummy bears)! There are nearly as many ways to share these gummies as there are to make them. Find your favorite combination, then make sure to share it with us on social @adagioteas.

Apricot Green Gummy Bears Recipe

Gummy Bears are the ultimate fun and tasty treat, but they can be high on the sugar side. In this recipe, we offer a healthier option by swapping out juice for Apricot Green and sugar with honey.

Makes: 30-50 gummy bears
Time to make: 5 minutes, plus time to set

Ingredients

1/2 c. water
4 tsp. Apricot Green
2 packets unflavored gelatin (.25 oz packets)
1 1/2 tbsp honey (or to taste)

Instructions

Steep the Apricot Green into the water. Cool tea.

Combine tea, gelatin, and honey over low heat in a saucepan.
Once all gelatin is dissolved, transfer to a small measuring cup or batter bowl.

Pour into gummy bear molds.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until fully set. Enjoy!

Tea Chef

Check out this month's TeaChef recipe competition! Head over there to submit your own creations to potentially win a $50 gift card to Adagio!