Science Behind Candies

Have you ever wondered why the candies are so delicious and sweet . What might be the reason behind this!!!

The science behind candy making is all about chemistry and chemical reactions.

Sucrose molecule is a disaccharide which means it is made up of two molecules stuck together. These two monosaccharides are glucose and fructose. Because of the sucrose molecule structure we can make all kinds of candy just using sugar and a liquid, and sometimes a bit of fat.

When you heat the sucrose molecule to the right temperature it breaks apart and forms caramel. This process is called caramelization. Because the sucrose molecule hates being split up it tries to reform into sugar crystals. When and how you allow sugar crystals to form determines what kind of candy you make. 

We need heat to dissolve enough sugar in the liquid to create candy  This principle of supersaturated liquid is very important in candy making. As a supersaturated sucrose liquid cools the sugar molecules will try to crystallize back into solid molecules. This is where we can interfere and make many types of candies.

There are two categories of candies made from the crystallization process:-

• Crystalline – candies which contain crystals in their finished form. Eg Rock candy, Geode Candy, Fudge, Kendal Mint Cake etc.

•  Non-Crystalline -candies which do not contain crystals in their finished form. Eg. Lollipops, Caramels, Toffee, Marshmallows etc.

  Some candies requires no crystallization to takes place. There are a few methods we use to prevent crystallization by adding crystallization interfering agents which includes adding more of glucose, using brown sugar instead of white (brown is more acidic), add fat, or add acids like vinegar or bicarbonate of soda or cream of tartar.
  

 Sugar Stages in Candy Science

Sugar Stages refers to the temperature of the solution. The temperature is an indicator of the sugar concentration of the liquid and this concentration is an important part of how the final candy will turn out. It is quite logical that as the temperature increases, the saturation of the solution increases. This is because water evaporates as the solution heats.

In candy making their are some terms for the various sugar stages as given below :-

• Thread
  

Temp: 223-234 F / 106-112 C

Sugar concentration: 80%

Used to make: Rock Candy

• Soft Ball
  

Temp: 234 – 240F / 112-115 C

Sugar concentration 85%

Used to make: Kendal Mint, Fudge

• Firm Ball
  

Temp: 242-248 F / 116- 120 C

Sugar concentration 87%

Used to make: Caramels, Marshmallows

• Hard Ball
  

Temp: 250-266 F / 122-130C

Sugar concentration 92%

Used to make: Toffee Apples and Nut Toffee

• Soft Crack
  

Temp: 270 – 290 F / 132-143 C

Sugar concentration 95%

Used to make: Butterscotch

• Hard Crack
  

Temp: 295 – 310 F / 146 – 155 C

Sugar concentration 99%

Used to make: Lollipops and Nut Brittle

• Caramel
  Temp: 320-350 F / 160-182 C
  Sugar concentration 100%
  Used as coating for nuts and decorations for cakes

  Above 350 F the sugar begins to burn and develops a bitter taste.

Reference :-

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