Want to learn how to troubleshoot three common candy making challenges?
And learn WHY they work? Sign up for our free mini-series!
Learn the science behind:
Tag candy
Learn all about the science behind sugar confectionery, or candy in short.
You can make a wide range of sweets with sugar, some soft, some brittle. All thanks to the amazing chemical properties of sugar molecules. Here, we dive into the science behind these products. You’ll quickly find some common themes!
3 Ways to Make a Caramel Sauce
There are literally countless recipes for caramel sauces. But, if you look more closely, you’ll find just 3 recurring patterns in these recipes. You can use brown sugar, caramelize sugar, or, make use of the Maillard reaction to make a…
The Sugary Science Behind Candy Making
Want to make your own sugar candy? Develop your own recipes? Maybe even start your own candy-making business? But do you feel like you’re only able to follow a recipe? Scared that even the slightest tweak will result in a…
How to Make Fudge – Controlling Crystallization
Have you ever been to a Fudge Factory? One of those stores where they sell countless versions of fudge and make it right in front of you? The fudge there is delicious. But, even though it might look complicated. You…
Sweet Science: How to Make Jalebi
Deep-fried, crunchy, concentric circles of batter, soaked in a flavorful, moist sugar syrup. It’s the mix of textures and flavors, that make jalebi so appealing. And even though it takes just a few steps to make them, it’s easier said…
How to Make Caramel (+ Recipe Troubleshooting)
Light brown, or almost black. Runny and oozy, or firm and chewy. Sweet, slightly salty, or with a hint of bitterness. Caramel comes in all shapes and sizes. You can easily tweak it to your liking, once you understand how…
The Science of Dutch ‘Borstplaat’ – A Crystalline Candy (+ Recipe)
Borstplaat is a sweet, creamy piece of typical Dutch candy. It literally melts in your mouth, thanks to the tiny tiny sugar crystals within. It’s a scientific feat and just one example of a crystalline candy. As a matter of…
Making Confectionery Fondant: Controlling Sugar Crystallization
You may have eaten it without realizing. The ‘sister’ of the famous fondant used to decorate cakes: confectionery fondant. Made with just sugar, it’s a scientific feat. A delicate balance between crystallization & utter stickiness. Confectionery fondant literally melts in…
How to Caramelize Sugar: Dry vs Wet Method
If you’ve caramelized sugar, you might recall there are two ways to do so: the ‘dry’ and the ‘wet’ method. The only difference? The presence, or absence, of water. But which is ‘best’? Does it even matter? We’re going to…
The Science Behind Cooking Sugar Syrups For Candy Making
Making candy is often described as a science, requiring thermometers to boil that sugar syrup to the exact right temperature. Alternatively, you can cook the syrup to a prescribed stage, “cook to hard crack”, which can be daunting. If you…
The Science of Caramelization – Food Chemistry Basics
If you think of chemistry, you might be thinking of a lab, with people wearing white lab coats, where lots of complicated, maybe even dangerous chemicals are being mixed and tested by experienced chemists. You might almost forget that your…
How to Make Rock Sugar – Using Supersaturation Science
You might be familiar with the brightly colored version on a stick. Or you might regularly use it as a core ingredient in your (savory) Asian recipes. Or, you might use it to sweeten your tea. Rock sugar, or rock…
The Science of Honeycomb Candy (+ Troubleshooting Tips)
Honeycomb definitely is one of the more theatrical candies to make. Once you add that baking soda to the boiling hot sugar, the fizzing and puffing are sure to impress your viewers. Once the show is over and your honeycomb…