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CANDY 101 -
Ingredients and Formulas |
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Candy making is really a scientific
formula and is the least forgiving of all recipes. It's important not to
substitute the main ingredients, such as sugar, butter, cream, etc. for
something else. You can switch what I call are auxiliary ingredients or those
that don't have an impact on its structure; for example you can substitute one
type of nut for another or switch flavoring and color. Make
sure you read the entire recipe before you begin. Collect the ingredients you
will need and make sure you have the exact measurements. Keep everything close
by and handy.
Sugar
crystallization, or lack thereof, plays a large role in textural development and
the confection’s perceived quality. These diverse textures range from hard, to
soft and creamy, to chewy.
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The process for a specific kind of candy
depends on the desired consistency and the number of ingredients.
(NOTE: see recipes for exact
measurements) |
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Fondant |
Fudge |
Caramels |
Taffy |
Toffee |
Lollipops |
Divinity |
Marshmallows |
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Table Sugar |
1 cup |
1 cup |
1 cup |
1 cup |
1 cup |
1 cup |
1 cup |
1 cup |
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Corn syrup
/ Cream of
tartar |
1 TBSP or 1/16 tsp cream of tartar |
1 TBSP |
1 cup |
1/4 cup |
1 TBSP |
1/3 cup |
2 TBSP |
1 TBSP |
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Liquid (water or
milk) |
1/2 cup water |
1/2 cup milk |
1 cup cream or evaporated milk |
1/3 cup water |
1/4 cup water |
1/2 cup water |
1/4 cup water |
1/4 cup water |
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Fat |
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1 TBSP butter |
1/4 cup butter |
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3/4 cup butter |
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Egg whites |
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1 large |
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Gelatin |
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1 TBSP |
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Cook to (degrees) |
237 F |
234 F |
248 F |
261 F or 275 F |
300 F |
310 F |
252 F |
248 F |
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Stage |
soft ball |
soft ball |
firm ball |
hard ball or soft crack |
hard crack |
hard crack |
hard ball |
firm ball |
Each ingredient in a candy
recipe plays a role.
Many times, ingredients
are just listed in a recipe without indication of type, adding to lots of
confusion and failure; and, I think candy recipes are some of the worst.
For example, vinegar is referred to as just its name,
"vinegar" - Do you use red wine vinegar ? Apple cider vinegar ? Does it
make a difference ? -- The answer is "Yes, it does !! Use white distilled
vinegar.
The following information will
help straighten out what the recipe's author means when an ingredient is just
listed and isn't described:
 The
impact of ingredients on candy recipes:
Sometimes you can combine two
types of candies giving a soft center and a hard sugar outer coating.
If you mix beaten egg whites and honey with warm sugar syrup, it forms the
base for nougats. |
Sweeteners: Since the
appeal of candy is its sweetness, some type of sweetener is usually the primary
ingredient. Unless the recipe states otherwise, when it
says "sugar" use white, crystalline sugar called sucrose -- the kind you use
everyday, also known as table sugar which is
derived from sugarcane or sugar beets. Strain out any
lumps or hard pieces. Other sweeteners are
honey, molasses, maple sugar, corn sugar, and corn syrup. In recent years some
candies have been made with artificial, noncaloric sweeteners such as saccharin
or aspartame.
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Use
the best quality sugar when making candy.
Use a freshly purchased and unopened package of
sugar; this will insure that there has been no contamination from other
ingredients commonly found in the kitchen, such as flour or salt. |
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Corn Syrup:
use light corn syrup if not specified in a
recipe. If you only have dark, it can be used, but the candy will have a
slight molasses taste and color. If the recipe specifies, follow it. |
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Molasses:
conveniently for butterscotch makers, molasses contains a very dark caramel
with a distinct burnt edge and a bit of sharpness. Because molasses is so
strongly flavored, butterscotch recipes rarely use it straight. |
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Can I
substitute Brown Sugar for Refined Granulated Sugar? Yes,
only if you an experienced candy-maker. Don't let the brown sugar exceed 1/2
the amount of the total sugar. So if you were going to use 2 cups of total
sugar, divide it into 1 cup brown and 1 cup regular sugar. Using brown sugar
(which is basically refined white sugar but without all the molasses removed)
also acts as one of the flavor agents and you can end up with a fudge called
"Penuche." |
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Can I
substitute Unrefined Sugar ("Sugar in the Raw") for Granulated Sugar?
No, because you may get unexpected results because the crystal size of
each differ. Sugar in the Raw (turbino) is very course granulation and my not
dissolve completely during the boil. Also, unrefined sugar has a strong taste
and brown cast due to some molasses in it. |
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Can I
substitute Powdered Sugar for refined Sugar? No. Powdered sugar is
finely ground sugar with corn starch added. The corn starch may help thicken
the fudge but it also doesn't dissolve well (unless heated) and you'll get a
fudge with unmixed sugar & corn starch. |
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What
sugar do you recommend? Granulated, everyday white sugar. |
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What's
the difference between beet and cane sugar?
After processing, the two sugars are chemically the same. |
Water: Tap water is
fine.
Butter and
Fats:
affect the sugar's final chemical structure and determine
the brittleness, hardness, and flavor and texture (chewy versus crunchy).
Always use unsalted (or salted) stick butter instead of margarine when you are
making candy. Margarine contains a lot of water and different amounts of fat
that will make your candy inconsistent and butter gives the best taste. Do not
use vegetable oil spreads or tub products -- so that candies will "set up" or
have a nice brittle texture.
Acids:
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Cream of Tartar: This is used as a
stabilizer. It's acidic because made from dried wine on casks. If you don't
have it, use freshly squeezed lemon juice, instead. |
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Lemon Juice: use freshly squeezed,
not the lemon juice that comes in a small squeeze bottle. Fresh has a higher
acidic content than bottled, and will affect your recipe. |
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Vinegar:
Use white distilled vinegar. Other vinegars impart a taste and color. |
Dairy: Cream
- Use heavy cream. Because of its higher butterfat than milk, it gives the candy
a smooth texture and mouthfeel.
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Can I substitute
Evaporated Milk for Sweetened Condensed Milk? In a nutshell, no !
Evaporated milk is used in many candy
recipes. It is just that... milk that has had about half the water removed by
evaporation. It's a very thick milk (be sure you shake the can) which contains
milk proteins, milk fats, and water. This gives the semi-sweet chocolate a
more milky chocolate taste when mixed. |
Flavoring: Candy oils can be used and are the preferred
flavoring for candy. Because they are oil-based, it makes them strong and less
likely to evaporate when subjected to heat or added to a hot mixture. Plus, they
come in a wide spectrum of flavors. Some recipes call for extracts, which are
fine to use but aren't as flavorful; they are alcohol based and evaporate easily
that's why they are added at the end of the recipe, not during the cooking
phase. Remember with candy oils, a little goes a long way. I use no more than
1/4-teaspoon per recipe and when using them instead of extracts, don't exchange
the amounts one-for-one.
Coloring:
For sugar based candy,
food coloring is best to use. It is a liquid, which comes in little bottles
available at any supermarket or from a
cake
decorating store
(lots of colors). It's particularly suitable for mixtures that do not combine
readily with liquid, such as chocolate or to be used in baking recipes.
Gelatin:
If you add a gelatin, powdered
or leaf, starch, pectin, or gum to the
boiling mixture the sugar will gel and make products like jelly beans, Turkish
delight, and licorices. The starch swells in
water. The swelling forms a stress on the sugar crystal structure. Enough stress
will change the basic chemical structure of the sugar at certain temperature
ranges. When the syrup turns from clear to opaque the crystalline structure has
disappeared and a jelly or gum has occurred.
Gummy bears are also
made from gelatins and sugars and poured into molds where the pieces set up and
then are popped out of the molds.
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THE
ROLE OF SUGAR: During candy making,
there are four primary processes taking place:
(More about sugar's role in candy
making)
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Carmelization - Cane sugar
deteriorates in heated conditions to form a colored breakdown known as
carmelization.
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Inversion - When cane sugar is heated, the second action
which you can't see, is the breakdown of sucrose into its two simple
sugars - dextrose and fructose. Acids or enzymes accelerate the process,
such as adding vinegar. A number of familiar products rely upon inverted
sugars. Fondant centers, fudge, butter confectioners, chewing gum,
jellies, caramels and toffees, hard creams, high boiled sweets,
butterscotch, marshmallow and soft creams all are results of this
inversion process being careful controlled. High levels of inverted
sugar, particular fructose, pick up moisture from the air and the water
is deposited on the surface of the candy. This water leaches sugar from
the candy surface and you can see a layer-by-layer change in the candy
when water is present.
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Maillard Reaction (pronounced: may-ARE)
- This is
the third chemical process that takes place when you make candies. The
Maillard reactions cause proteins to turn brown in the presence of
carbohydrates. (This is what makes things like meat and vegetables turn
brown when they're cooked.) But, proteins also react with the inverted
sugars, adding flavor, texture, and color. Milk is usually the protein
used and it is an essential part of making caramels, toffees, and fudge.
The Maillard reactions are enhanced in the presence of heat. Since sugar
has traces of protein, the less time the hot sugar is in contact with
the proteins, the less pronounced the browning effect. Cooking sugar
syrups as fast as possible minimizes the browning effect of Maillard
reactions. To get really clear syrups, never stir and always use high
heat.
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Adding interferring agents - Ordered
crystallization in non-crystalline candy or an interference with crystal
growth in crystalline candy is prevented by ingredients. These
ingredients are called interfering agents. We know these as
pectins, agars or gums which swell in water. The swelling forms a stress
on the sugar crystal structure. Enough stress will change the basic
chemical structure of the sugar at certain temperature ranges. When the
syrup turns from clear to opaque the crystalline structure has
disappeared and a jelly or gum has occurred.
Interfering Agents:
Check candy formulas to see what types
of interfering agents are used. For example:
| Corn syrup:
contains glucose instead of the sucrose of table sugar.
In
caramels,
brittles or
hard candy, you want to
prevent crystallization and their recipes contain enough corn
syrup or acids to do this. |
| Cream of tartar:
breaks sucrose into glucose and fructose. If adding acid,
cooking time is critical Too short, coarse and grainy candy. Too
long, too soft. |
| Brown sugar, molasses:
retards
crystallization too, by altering the ratio of glucose to fructose.
Brown sugar, a diluted form of molasses, which is basically
refined sugar crystals thinly coated with molasses.
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| Honey:
has a non-crystallization property, and can therefore be used in
confectioneries to maintain a soft, smooth consistency.
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| Fats - Butter,
fats, heavy cream and
evaporated milk (milk proteins),
egg whites,
cocoa and chocolate solids:
coat the crystals and
slow their growth. Make syrup more viscous
so cook to a slightly lower end point temperature. |
| Gelatin:
The starch swells
in water. The swelling forms a stress on the sugar crystal
structure. Enough stress will change the basic chemical structure
of the sugar at certain temperature ranges. When the syrup turns
from clear to opaque the crystalline structure has disappeared and
a jelly or gum has occurred. |
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