Candy Science

Whether it's caramel, marshmallows, brittle, sugar syrups, or jalebi. You can learn all about the science behind candy at FoodCrumbles!

Learn why you should cook your sugar syrup to such a specific temperature, learn how you can change the texture of candy, and more.

New to candy? Then we'd recommend reading our round-up article that gives you a solid foundation.

The Sugary Science Behind Candy Making

The beginner's guide to the science behind candy. From cooking sugar to whipping egg whites, from caramelization to candy comparison.

Ready to learn more about the science behind candy? Why not consider our Candy Science course?

Take our Candy Science Course

For a deep dive into the world of candy. A structured organized and fun way to learn about candy, with plenty of theory and practical exercises.

Prefer to just browse around? Here you can find all of our articles on candy science:

  • How to Make Pistachio Turkish Delight

    How to Make Pistachio Turkish Delight

    It’s squishy and bouncy. Sweet, but not extremely so and flavored delicately. And, even though it’s jelly-like, it doesn’t contain that typical jelly ingredient: gelatin. Instead, the secret behind the unique texture of a piece of pistachio Turkish delight is corn starch! The one disadvantage? Unlike with many other types of candy, there’s no easy…

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  • Tips and Tricks for Making Pulled Candy (+Roomboterbabbelaars Recipe)

    Tips and Tricks for Making Pulled Candy (+Roomboterbabbelaars Recipe)

    You might have seen it on YouTube, or live, in a candy shop: candy makers pulling on candy. Over and over they pull the candy apart, fold it back together, and so forth, until it’s reached the consistency they’re looking for. But why pull candy? By pulling, you’re changing the texture of the candy. Creating…

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  • The Science of Tempering Chocolate + An Easy Way to Temper

    The Science of Tempering Chocolate + An Easy Way to Temper

    If you’ve ever watched a tv baking show, chances are, you’ve seen participants trying to temper chocolate at some point. Often, this is a recipe for some drama (which is of course why it’s part of a tv show…). Chocolate tempering can be finicky and some contestants are bound to miss the mark. However, untempered,…

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  • The “Best” (Candy) Thermometer

    The “Best” (Candy) Thermometer

    Thinking of buying a proper candy thermometer for your candy (science) experiments? If I may give you just one tip, don’t buy a ‘real’ candy thermometer. Instead, just buy the FANTAST thermometer from IKEA!

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  • The (Scientific) Guide to Making HM Pectin Gummies

    The (Scientific) Guide to Making HM Pectin Gummies

    Using pectin can be a great way to make a gummy – a bouncy, slightly translucent gel-like snack. A good gummy holds its shape and isn’t sticky. However, pectin can be a finicky ingredient to work with. It is prone to clumping, or it might set long before you need it to. To make a…

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  • What Is The Glass Transition Temperature?

    What Is The Glass Transition Temperature?

    Wondering why your brittle remains soft, instead of getting crunchy? Or want to know how candy floss works? Then you might come across an important, but quite a complex concept: the “glass transition temperature”. It can be a tricky concept to wrap your mind around. The glass transition temperature describes when a material transitions from…

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  • The Science of Non-Sticky Nougat Candy

    The Science of Non-Sticky Nougat Candy

    If made well, it can have a pristine white color and be light and fluffy. But, nougat is probably one of the more daunting candies to make. Luckily, a little bit of practice can make perfect, especially if you:

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  • The Role of Sugar, Eggs, and Gelatin in Marshmallows (+ Recipe)

    The Role of Sugar, Eggs, and Gelatin in Marshmallows (+ Recipe)

    Gently press into a marshmallow. And let it go. What happens? It should have bounced right back up Now, drop one in a glass of chocolate milk. Does it float or sink? Marshmallows are light and airy, while being bouncy to the touch, thanks to great teamwork of two, maybe three ingredients: sugars, gelatin, and…

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  • 3 Ways to Make a Caramel Sauce

    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 tasty caramel sauce.

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  • The Sugary Science Behind Candy Making

    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 failure? Not truly sure of why you’re using that thermometer? You can make candy, but…

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  • How to Make Fudge – Controlling Crystallization

    How to Make Fudge – Controlling Crystallization

    Making fudge is all about controlling the crystallization of sugar. Dissolve the sugar first and then make sure it crystallizes in just the right way to make some melt-in-the-mouth fudge. It only becomes easier when you understand the science behind it. So grab some bags of sugar, your thermometer & a stand mixer and you’re…

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  • Sweet Science: How to Make Jalebi

    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 than done. It’s all about controlling the consistencies of batter and sugar syrup. So let’s…

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