Does anyone make horehound cough drops?

[paqcrewmama]

I grew horehound this year (seeds from the heirloom collection at Sturbridge Village in MA). My dad LOVES horehound candy/cough drops and I'm going to make him some for Christmas.

I'm thinking that a candy recipe with a honey base would be better for cough drops than sugar simply because honey is soothing as well. I found one recipe but the directions weren't clear and there was no contact on the website.

Do any of you have a recipe for a honey based cough drop? I would take a white-sugar recipe if it's a tried and true one you use.

Thanks!

[Genevieve]

I've never made it but I have a recipe from the Pa Dutch.

Dutch Hoarhound Candy

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup hoarhound leaves
1 pound light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pour boiling water over hoarhound leaves and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain off the tea into a large saucepan. Add sugar,cream of tartar and butter. Bring to a boil and cook to the soft crack stage ( about 275*F). remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Drop syrup from a teaspoon into small pools on an oiled baking sheet, or pour into tiny greased molds. Should the syrup become too stiff to drop from a spoon, pull small amounts into thin threads and twist around a spoon handle.



I have also read where some pour the syrup onto a greased cookie sheet, and after it cools just a few minutes, they'll score the candy and then when it cools completely, they cut along the score lines into pieces and then use powdered sugar to dust them so they don't stick together.

These are some of the seeds I want to buy so I can grow my own. My list of seeds of herbs keeps getting longer and longer!

[journey149]

Thank you so very much

[journey149]

What type of plant is this and where do you purchase the seeds from? Or is this a native plant.

[sage_morgan]

It's a European herb, easily availablel.