Coltsfoot Cough Drops

Ingredients:

  • 2 C of water infused with the following herbs
    • 1/8 C dry Coltsfoot or 1/4 C fresh
    • 1 t Cinnamon (2 gm.)
    • 1 T dry (12 gr,) Elderberry or 2 T fresh
    • 1 T dry (2 gm.)Chamomile or 2 T fresh
    • 1 T dry (4 gr,) fresh Slippery Elm root or 2 T fresh
  • 2 C white Sugar
  • 1 small pat of butter
  • Candy thermometer
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Medium size sauce pan
  • Horehound flavoring (optional)
  • Silicon candy molds (optional)

Yeild about 75 cough drops

Directions

 

  1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil
  2. Place herbs in pot and allow to infuse for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove herbs from water by pouring through a fine mesh strainer
  4. Add sugar
  5. Add 1 small pat of butter to help keep the mixture from boiling over
  6. Stir the sugar/infused herb mixture over medium heat until it reaches 300 degrees. *See note below for additional information
  7. Add 10 drops Horehound flavoring at this point if desired
  8. Pour quickly into candy molds or pour into a large baking sheet that has been greased with coconut oil or that has a silicon baking mat on it.  You only have 60 seconds to do this until mixture becomes too thick to pour.
  9. Allow to cool completely then remove cough drops from the mold
    or
  10. IF POURING ONTO A BAKING PAN: Let cool until it can be touched and immediately and quickly roll small amounts into lozenges with your hands (you might need help to do this quickly enough).
  11. Put finished cough drops/lozenges on a silicon mat or piece of parchment paper to cool.
  12. When completely cool, I toss in a mixture of powdered slippery elm and/or Stevia to keep from getting sticky in humidity.
  13. Use as needed for coughing, congestion or sore throat.

*Note: If you don’t have a candy thermometer, this usually takes about 45 minutes and can be tested by dropping a drop of the mixture in to ice water to see if it immediately hardens. It should harden to the point that it breaks if dropped on the counter. You can also tell because the mixture will start to foam and separate. At this point, it is vital to remove it from the heat quickly so it does not burn.

Approx, Temperatures from boiling (212 oF to 300 oF)
Mixture begins to boil
+10 minutes – 217 oF
+15 minutes – 220 oF
+20 minutes – 223 oF
+25 minutes – 226 oF
+30 minutes – 232 oF
+ 35 minutes – 242 oF
+40 minutes – 260 oF
+45 minutes – 300 oF

Note: 1st 10 minutes temperature only rises 5 oF… BUT the last 5 minutes temperature rises 30 oF so be vigilant toward the end of the boiling process