Apricot Orange Lollypops

Yield: 14 Lollypops. Press and stretch apricot halves to flatten and widen them as much as possible. Place them on tray in toaster oven or on pan in oven. Heat in slow oven (250 F) for 15 minutes. Cut 1 inch off the tops of 14 five-ounce unwaxed paper cups to use as molds. Rub shortening inside the rim of the cup. With tip of a small knife, cut a 1/8-inch opening parallel to the rim. Insert a flat wooden stick from the inside of the rim to the outside (This pushes the paper around the stick to the outside.) Place molds with rims down on oiled cookie sheet. Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to boil syrup until candy thermometer reads 300 F. (A teaspoonful of syrup will separate into hard, brittle threads when dropped in cold water.) Lover heat if syrup darkens. Remove from heat and let stand 1 minute. Stir in orange extract. Hold mold firmly against sheet; spoon or ladle about 1/8-inch syrup into each. Quickly press an apricot into the syrup in each cup and cover with another 1/8-inch of syrup. Cool. Carefully peel off paper molds. Store in single layer in airtight container.