Hard Candy Hardens Too Quickly
I recently made some hard candy;
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups corn syrup
1 cup water
Heat to hard crack
I was hoping to be able to work with the result, coloring two halves and twisting them together to make a candy cane like confection.
I was really surprised by how quickly the mixture hardened, while it was still quite hot.
Is there a technique for producing my desired result?
Best Answer
Generally you have to work with it when it is still exceptionally hot. Hence the use of taffy-pullers and such devices. Silicon/heat-resistant gloves possibly, if you wish to work by hand, traditionally always "oiled hands".
I've seen examples where the mixture is arrested, allowed to cool for a couple of minutes and quickly reheated slightly to return some pliability. Speed is certainly of the essence though.
Few videos about, look for sugar pulling, even if it is not the sort of manipulation you had in mind, it will show you how to deal with hard crack sugar.
Overall, asbestos hands seem to be required!
http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-pull-sugar-for-making-sugar-art-151725/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6WRd7JZFdQ (warning, a few expletives, it is very hot stuff!)
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How do you keep hard candy from hardening?
How To Store Hard Candies. To store homemade hard candy, place it in a dry place at room temperature, and it should keep for 3-4 weeks. Never place hard candy in the refrigerator because moisture and condensation can make it sticky. Your candy will last longer when you place it somewhere like a dry pantry.Can I remelt hard candy?
Take out small portions of your crushed hard candy and put them in the bowl. Heat this for 30 seconds at a medium-low temperature. Take it out, stir it, and if it hasn't melted yet, place it back in the microwave. Keep repeating this at an interval of 15 seconds, all the while keeping a close eye on your candy.How do you make hard candy soft?
To soften hard candies, preheat the oven to 350\xb0 Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and place the unwrapped hard candies on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven, checking every minute until the candy reaches the desired level of softness.How do you fix sticky hard candy?
Humidity is the enemy of hard candy. It will turn it into hard, sticky, goo. I'd try sealing a few pieces in an air-tight container along with some dry rice (or better, silica gel packets) and see if that works better.How Hard Candy Is Made | WIRED
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Answer 2
Probably too much glucose or not the right temperature
Use 5:1 ratio of sugar to glucose. Depending what your sugar is made from and where it was made
You can use more cream of tarter (Potassium bitartrate) and even less glucose, but there is a delicate balance of too much cream of tarter and sugar that wont "work". Around one level tsp of cream of tarter per 1Kg of sugar on the 5:1 ratio
Add colour around the 140C mark, add cream of tarter after removing from heat
Some sugars are OK at 148C, some around 160C, each sugar source is slightly different
Experiment with different ratios and temperatures for one source of sugar
You need a hot bench or heat lamp to keep the sugar warm between pulls and other workings
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