You can find gum base, glycerine and citric acid at candy supply stores or online retailers. Choose a classic bubble gum flavor or go for something unique, like lemon lime. You can also add a few drops of food coloring to the mixture to color your gum. Make a double boiler if you don’t already have one by finding two pots, one small and one large. Fill the larger pot with a few inches of water and place it on the stove. Put the smaller pot inside the larger pot so that it’s floating on the water. Place all of the ingredients except the powdered sugar in the smaller pot and turn on the burner. Bring the mixture up to temperature, stirring well. [1] X Research source
If you don’t knead the dough enough, the gum will tend to fall apart, so don’t skip this step. The dough should be smooth and stiff when you’re finished.
You can roll the dough flat using a rolling pin and cut it into neat squares if you’d like. Roll the pieces of dough into balls as an alternative.
You can add finely chopped herbs, such as rosemary or mint leaves, to the mixture. For a medicinal gum, add extra peppermint oil and a few drops of lemon juice.
Don’t remove too much bark, or you’ll damage the tree. Choose a spot high off the ground so that the area isn’t accessible to animals.
