Candy Making

While cooking candy is fairly easy, some problems can occur due to a variety of circumstances.

This is the reason why we prepared this particular section of the book – so you can troubleshoot your recipes at home. Below are the most common problems associated with candy making and time-tested solutions from veteran candy makers:

1. The candy recipe said 30 minutes or less, how come my batch of candy is taking so long to cook?

When the quality of the batch of candy is affected and the cooking time is drastically different from what was specified in the recipe, the problem usually lies in the size of the saucepan or pot that was used for cooking.

If you are using an adequately sized saucepan or pot, your location’s altitude may be playing a role in prolonging the cooking time of your candy. As long as your candy is not being scorched from beneath, you simply have to wait until the batch reaches the target temperature.

Don’t forget to use a candy thermometer – buy one that is shielded by a metal jacket and can easily be clipped unto one side of the pot.

2. The recipe I was following was supposed to yield beautiful, mouth-watering candy. How come my batch turned out differently?

Several things could have gone wrong when you were cooking the candy. First, check the humidity of your kitchen. If you have a relative humidity of 50% or more, the excess moisture in the air could have caused your candy to become sticky.

Now, if humidity and environmental temperature are not the problem, ask yourself: did you follow the steps in the recipe exactly?  If you did, check the ingredients that you used and the measurements that you used.

Were you truthful to what the candy recipe required?

If not, then this is the problem. Many beginning candy makers make substitutions – this will simply not work because you are not dealing with a regular dish. Next time, prepare the ingredients well before the target cooking date to avoid hassles like this one.

3. I recently purchased oil flavorings for candies. How easy is it to use these flavorings?

Oil flavorings are very concentrated concoctions that were meant to be used sparingly.

Do not be misled by the appearance of these products because too much oil flavoring can ruin an entire batch of candy. Always follow the instructions of the recipe and do not add any more than needed.

Some people think well, the flavor imparted by the oil flavoring was not that intense when I first added a few tablespoons to the batch. This is normal – because the taste of the oil will increase after the corn syrup or granulated sugar has been cooked to a certain temperature.

4. I’m making some candy for a large company. Can I just double the amount of all the ingredients so I can make some more candy?

Unless you have been making candy for quite some time now, “doubling” a candy recipe is not recommended.

If you want to make more candy, simply cook one batch of candy after another. This way, you will be minimizing problems associated with overcooking the candy or having too small a saucepan for that particular batch of candy.

5. My candy looked fine when I was cooking it, but now people say that it is gritty and that the texture of the candy is different from what they expected. What happened to my candy?

Your batch of candy is suffering from excessive crystallization. Crystallization is a natural process that occurs when heat is introduced to sugar molecules.

If the size of the sugar crystals becomes irregular after the batch of candy has cooled, then you probably made a mistake with the timing, duration or intensity of the stirring.

Always remember that when you are following a recipe, follow everything to the letter including the recommendations on when to stir the batch of candy. You might be surprised: some candy recipes might even instruct that you should not stir the batch at all when it is boiling.

As for the stirrer, wooden spoons are a good choice because metal variants conduct heat and can burn you, while plastic spoons or spatulas can melt in the batch. You do not want to pick out dried plastic from candy once it has hardened.

To prevent sugar or corn syrup from forming gritty patches on the side of the pot, use a metal spoon to constantly scrape the sides when it is safe to do so, e.g. when the batch can be stirred without causing any more graining.

Another potential problem with your batch of candy is the amount of sugar that was used. Did you put enough sugar in the concoction? If you used too little or too much sugar, then excessive crystallization can also occur.

The amount of sugar used for recipes is dependent on what type of candy is being made. The proper concentration of sugar in candy is called sugar saturation.

The ideal sugar saturation can be achieved by using standard measurements when preparing the ingredients of candy.

Here are some general steps that will ensure that crystallization at the bottom and sides is avoided:

- When adding sugar to a sauce pan or pot, make sure that you pour the sugar in the middle of the cooking ware.

Never spill sugar or corn syrup at the sides, as this excess sugar may crystallize when the temperature of the pot exceeds boiling point.

- If you are using liquid sweeteners such as dark corn syrup or natural honey, the same principle should be applied. Your target should be the center of the pot or saucepan and not the sides.

If there are any spills, use a moist brush or cloth to remove the sugar or syrup from the sides before you start cooking the candy. Spills can also be removed before the candy thermometer is placed in the batch.
- Water is often added to moisten the sugar prior to cooking. It would help if you can gently mix the sugar with the water so the sugar particles would evenly mix with the available water.

- Always check the pot or saucepan to ensure that it is free of any solids (like burned meat). These small residues of past dishes can also cause crystallization. The foreign material will serve as the anchoring point for the sugar crystals. The crystals will then proceed to harden around the foreign material in the pot.

- Applying butter to the sides of the pan before and during the cooking can also help prevent sugar crystallization. Because sugar and oil do not really mix, the sugar will not be able to cling to the sides of the cooking ware.

- Another way to naturally prevent crystals from ruining your batch of candy is by covering the pot for a few minutes. This is enough for water to condense at the sides of the pot, which will then naturally clean the cooking ware from its top to the liquid’s top level.

6. My batch of candy looks great, except for a few spots where the crystals became irregular. What happened?

It is possible that the pot or the mixing spoon that you used were not completely clean when you started cooking a fresh batch of candy.

Never use unwashed spoons when stirring new candy, as the foreign particles in the spoon can ruin the current batch. Wash your utensils and cooking ware careful with warm, soapy water and dry them adequately after each use.

7. I used butter in my candy recipe and now I see that the sugar and butter are not combining properly. What should I do?

When the butter and the sweetener used in the batch do not combine properly, the problem is usually the cooking temperature.

Here’s what you should do:

- Turn off the heat and carefully lift the pot away from the burner. Place the pot on the counter, taking care not to spill any of the contents on the counter (or yourself).

- Use a clean, wooden mixing spoon to gently stir the batch.

- Once the sweetener and the butter have recombined adequately, lift the pot and place it on the burner.

- Set the burner to medium-high and wait for the batch to cook.  A lower burner setting can cause the butter and sugar to separate again, so it would be best to cook the candy more quickly with a much higher setting.

To prevent this problem from occurring again, follow these tips:

- The water content of margarine varies greatly from brand to brand, so please do not substitute plain margarine for premium butter. If you want your candy to come out perfectly, you really have to purchase good quality butter with a high fat content. Save margarines for other recipes.

- Again, the humidity in your location has a substantial effect on the outcome of your first recipe. If you live in a place in the US that is very humid, try working on your candy recipe when the air is drier and the temperature is lower.

8. I followed the recipe to the letter but the boiling sugar keeps spilling. Help!

It’s great that you followed the recipe exactly. When the boiling sugar keeps spilling, the problem may be the size of the cooking ware that you are using. It is possible that the pot you are using is much too small compared to the amount of candy that you are attempting to cook.

Next time, use a straight-sided cooking pot that is thick-bottomed, to prevent scorching at the sides and bottom region.

Now, boiling candy will often rise up when you begin adding dairy ingredients like heavy cream - this is quite normal. However, never forget to protect your hands and forearms from the intense heat of the boiling sugar.

9. I want to cook some candy but I’m afraid that I will not be able to remove the candy from the molds once the candy has hardened. Any suggestions ?

There are three kinds of molds for candies: those made from silicone, metal and plastic. In terms of durability and being “stick-proof”, silicone candy molds are a top choice.

If silicone molds are not available, you can use metal molds (and lastly, plastic – but plastic is not really a good choice because the material tends to disintegrate over time due to the intense heat of the freshly cooked candy).

There are two main advantages when you use silicone molds:

- First, you no longer have to apply butter to the mold because sugar will not stick to the silicone material no matter how sticky it is.

- Second, silicone molds are naturally flexible and durable. That means you can just literally bend the silicone mold to facilitate the removal of the hardened candy. No struggling with tough plastic or metal anymore.

If you are using plastic molds or metal molds, do not forget to apply butter or anti-stick spray to the molds prior to the initial pouring of the hot candy. Also, do not pour the candy immediately after the target temperature has been reached.

Wait for the steam-filled air bubbles to settle first before doing anything to the candy. Let the freshly cooked batch of candy stand for a few minutes.

In the meantime, you can spend the extra time preparing the molds for the candy. Excess butter at the sides of the molds should be wiped clean with a moist brush or clean cloth.

After pouring the candy into the molds, raise the molds a few millimeters away from the counter and let gravity take care of the rest.

The mild movement will force trapped bubbles from the liquid candy to move to the surface. Excess air will be released, and this also helps prevent the candy from sticking to the surface of the molds.

10. I was able to pour my candy successfully into my molds. But now I just discovered that plain wax paper sticks to hardened candy. What should I do?

In the rare occurrence that waxed paper does not work well with hardened candy because the candy is extra sticky, your next best option is to try greased aluminum foil.

Simply cut a piece of aluminum foil and grease the entire surface area with vegetable oil. You can also use paper towels in place of pastry brushes or straight brushes when applying oil to the aluminum foil.

Many recipes call for waxed paper and many candy makers are actually quite successful using this type of lining for their candy making needs. However, this item is not perfect and will not work with candies that have high levels of corn syrup and butter.

If the candy sticks to waxed paper and hardens sufficiently upon contact, you can be sure that a thin wax film will come off along with the candy.

After placing the molded candy unto the aluminum foil, you can just place the new candy in the freezer for a quarter of an hour. This will help harden the candy even more, which makes it easier for you to transfer the candy to its final storage container (or platter).

11. Can you tell me about the dipping mixtures I can use for my candies?

There are 3 types of dipping mixtures used for a variety of purposes: melted chocolate, commercially-sold dipping mixtures, and fondants.

Melted chocolate requires high quality chocolate or dark chocolate – a calorie-packed, nutrient rich food that has a lower butter content than most chocolates. To make up for the deficiency in butter or oil content, premium butter is often added to the dark chocolate before the candy is dipped.

Commercially-sold dipping mixtures are usually not made from chocolate but have natural flavorings – take your pick: chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, etc. These dipping mixtures melt quite easily and can be used straight from the pack.

Fondants are home-made dipping mixtures that can be made with multiple combinations of ingredients. Since fondants require a gentle balance of ingredients in order to work, the error rate is much higher – so if you are just starting out, commercially-sold dipping mixtures might be a better choice.