Ingredients:

  • 1 cup 100% Fruit Juice (Pomegranate, Tart Cherry, or Grape)
  • 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 1 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1 tbsp Agar-Agar Powder
  • 0.5 tsp Citric Acid
  • 1 tsp Cornstarch

Instructions:

  1. Whisk the 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp agar agar powder into the 1 cup of cold fruit juice in your saucepan. Note: Adding these to cold liquid prevents the clump of doom that happens in hot liquid.
  2. Add the 2 tbsp maple syrup and 1 tbsp lemon juice to the mixture. Stir until everything looks like a uniform, cloudy liquid.
  3. Place the pan over medium heat. Stir constantly as it heats up. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the liquid begins to thicken slightly. You'll smell the juice becoming more concentrated and aromatic.
  4. Turn the heat up just a bit until you hit a full boil. Boil for exactly 2 minutes. Watch for the liquid to become glossy and slightly translucent. This is the agar agar fully activating.
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly whisk in the 0.5 tsp citric acid. Note: Adding it now preserves the sharp tang without affecting the boil.
  6. Using your dropper, quickly fill the silicone molds. Work fast because the mixture will start to gel at 100°F. If it gets too thick in the pan, just put it back on low heat for 30 seconds to loosen it up.
  7. Let the molds sit on the counter for 5 minutes, then move them to the fridge. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until the bears feel firm and taut to the touch.
  8. Gently peel the silicone away from the edges and pop the bears out. They should come out clean with no residue left behind.