The object in cooking these candies is to
obtain a sirup of such concentration and com¬
position that the sugar will separate at once
in very small crystals, or "cream.” Sucrose
crystallizes readily, so readily that precau¬
tions must be taken to prevent the process
from starting too soon. When crystals are
prematurely formed in sucrose solutions they
grow slowly, with the result that large crystals
form in the candy and it becomes grainy. To
get a smooth, creamy candy, one must con¬
trol conditions so as to prevent crystalliza¬
tion before the conditions are just right.
Then rapid crystallization is started through¬
out the whole mass at one time by beating,
or creaming. This causes the formation of a
large number of small crystals, and since the
sugar separates all at once, there is little op¬
portunity for the crystals to grow.
The "just right" conditions are important
to understand. The first of these is the pres¬
ence of a small amount of simple sugar in the
sirup. Simple sugars increase the viscosity of
sucrose sirups, retard the early formation of
crystals, and make it easier to obtain a
creamy candy. Also, the presence of simple
sugars prevents "lumping” of crystals after
the fondant has creamed.
These simple sugars may be added in the
form of corn sirup or honey. But since
sucrose sirup forms invert sugar during boil¬
ing, and this change can be hastened by add¬
ing an acid, the proper control of cooking
time and the use of acid give a satisfactory
amount of simple sugar without added sirup.
If too much corn sirup is added or too much
sucrose inverted, the candy becomes sticky
when beaten and will not cream. In general,
the most satisfactory results are obtained in
cream candies by the use of granulated sugar
(sucrose) as the only sugar and the addition
of a small amount of an easily measured acid,
such as cream of tartar, to assure the inver¬
sion of just enough sucrose. The proportion
of water to sugar should be kept constant.
When the water is very hard, the amount of
cream of tartar should be increased.
The second point is to have the sirup at
just the right concentration. The right con¬
centration is an almost saturated solution.
This is the case when a very soft ball is ob¬
tained or the boiling point is 237° F. This
sirup is poured out carefully on an oiled slab,
or set aside in the cooking utensil to cool
until it is a little above body temperature
and feels barely warm to the hand.
As the sirup cools, the amount of sugar
that it can hold in solution decreases, and it
becomes supersaturated. When such a solu¬
tion is beaten all the sugar crystallizes at one
time, and a mass of small crystals is obtained.
In making uncrystallized candies the ob¬
ject is to prevent the formation of crystals.
This result may be obtained from a sirup so
concentrated that it does not crystallize
readily. The presence of large amounts of
simple sugars or other substances which
separate the molecules of sucrose and thus
interfere with the formation of crystals also
prevents crystallization. ✪ Fondant
Page 34 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The object in cooking these candies is to obtain a sirup of such concentration and com¬ position that the sugar will separate at once in very small crystals, or "cream.” Sucrose crystallizes readily, so readily that precau¬ tions must be taken to prevent the process from starting too soon. When crystals are prematurely formed in sucrose solutions they grow slowly, with the result that large crystals form in the candy and it becomes grainy. To get a smooth, creamy candy, one must con¬ trol conditions so as to prevent crystalliza¬ tion before the conditions are justt right. Then rapid crystallization is started through¬ out the whole mass at one time by beating, or creaming. This causes the formation of a large number of small crystals, and since the sugar separates all at once, there is little op¬ portunity for the crystals to grow.
The "just right" conditions are important to understand. The first of these is the pres¬ ence of a small amount of simple sugar in the sirup. Simple sugars increase the viscosity of sucrose sirups, retard the early formation of crystals, and make it easier to obtain a creamy candy. Also, the presence of simple sugars prevents "lumping” of crystals after the fondant has creamed.
These simple sugars may be added in the form of corn sirup or honey. But since sucrose sirup forms invert sugar during boil¬ ing, and this change can be hastened by add¬ ing an acid, the proper control of cooking time and the use of acid give a satisfactory amount of simple sugar without added sirup. If too much corn sirup is added or too much sucrose inverted, the candy becomes sticky when beaten and will not cream. In general, the most satisfactory results are obtained in cream candies by the use of granulated sugar (sucrose) as the only sugar and the addition of a small amount of an easily measured acid, such as cream of tartar, to assure the inver¬ sion of just enough sucrose. The proportion of water to sugar should be kept constant. When the water is very hard, the amount of cream of tartar should be increased.
The second point is to have the sirup at just the right concentration. The right con¬ centration is an almost saturated solution. This is the case when a very soft ball is ob¬ tained or the boiling point is 237° F. This sirup is poured out carefully on an oiled slab, or set aside in the cooking utensil to cool until it is a little above body temperature and feels barely warm to the hand.
As the sirup cools, the amount of sugar that it can hold in solution decreases, and it becomes supersaturated. When such a solu¬ tion is beaten all the sugar crystallizes at one time, and a mass of small crystals is obtained.
In making uncrystallized candies the ob¬ ject is to prevent the formation of crystals. This result may be obtained from a sirup so
concentrated that it does not crystallize readily. The presence of large amounts of simple sugars or other substances which separate the molecules of sucrose and thus interfere with the formation of crystals also prevents crystallization.
Records on this page
Fondant