Hard candy

This article is about the confection. For other uses, seeHard Candy (disambiguation).

Hard candy

Alternative names	Boiled sweet
Type	Confectionery
Main ingredients	Sugarsyrup(sucrose,glucose,orfructose)
Variations	Many such ascandy caneorlollipop
Media: Hard candy

Ahard candy(American English), orboiled sweet(British English), is asugar candyprepared from one or more sugar-basedsyrupsthat is heated to a temperature of 160 °C (320 °F) tomake candy.Among the many hard candy varieties arestick candysuch as thecandy cane,lollipops,rock,aniseed twists,andbêtises de Cambrai."Boiled" is a misnomer, as sucrose (adisaccharide) melts fully at approximately 186 °C. Further heating breaks it into glucose and fructose molecules before it can vaporize.

Most hard candy is nearly 100% sugar by weight, with a tiny amount of other ingredients for color or flavor, and negligiblewater contentin the final product. Recipes for hard candy may use syrups ofsucrose,glucose,fructoseor other sugars. Sugar-free versions have also been created.

Creation

Heated syrup being poured onto a cooling table

Recipes for hard candy use a sugar syrup, such as sucrose, glucose or fructose. This is heated to a particular temperature, at which point the candy maker removes it from the heat source and may addcitric acid,food dye,and some flavouring, such as a plantextract,essential oil,orflavourant.The syrup concoction, which is now very thick, can be poured into amoldor tray to cool, or a cooling table in case of industrial mass production. When the syrup is cool enough to handle, it can be folded, rolled, or molded into the shapes desired. After the boiled syrup cools, it is calledhard candy,since it becomes stiff and brittle as it approachesroom temperature.

Chemistry

Chemically, sugar candies are broadly divided into two groups:crystallinecandies andamorphouscandies.Crystalline candiesare not as hard ascrystalsof the mineral variety, but derive their name and their texture from their microscopically organized sugar structure, formed through a process ofcrystallization,which makes them easy to bite or cut into.Amorphous candieshave a disorganized crystalline structure. Hard candies are non-crystalline, amorphous candies containing about 98% (or more) solid sugar.

Medicinal use

Kongen af Danmark( "King of Denmark" ) are Danish candies containinganise,sugar andbeetrootjuice. They were originally invented to persuade theking of Denmarkto take the medicine he had been prescribed, as he did not like the anise's strong flavour.

Hard candies are historically associated withcough drops.The extended flavor release of lozenge-type candy, which mirrors the properties of modern cough drops, had long been appreciated. Manyapothecariesused sugar candy to make their prescriptions more palatable to their customers. They are also carried by people withhypoglycemiato quickly raise their low blood sugar level which, when untreated, can sometimes lead to fainting and other physical complications, and are used as part ofdiabeticmanagement.

Sugar-free

Hard candies andthroat lozengesprepared withoutsugaremployisomaltas asugar substitute,and are sweetened further by the addition of anartificial sweetener,such asaspartame,sucralose,saccharin,or asugar alcohol,such asxylitol.

In Japan

Japanese hard candies are known as bekkō ame ( miết giáp di, lit:tortoiseshellcandy). Common legends about theyōkaiKuchisake-onnasay that she can be escaped by distracting her with bekkō ame.

See also

• Candy making
• Confectionery
• Humbug (sweet)
• Pear drop
• Mint (candy)
• Gumdrop
• Pastille

Confectioners of boiled sweets

• John Millar & Sons
• Jolly Rancher(now a division ofThe Hershey Company)
• Maxons Ltd, manufacturer ofBlack Bullets

References

• "Temporary Metal Fences / Asphalt Shingles / Expanded Polystyrene Products / Hard Candies".How It's Made.Season 3. Episode 4.Science Channel.
• Sherman, Bob."Basic Hard Candy Making Instructions".Williston Park, New York:Bobby's Craft Boutique. Archived fromthe originalon 28 February 2018.Retrieved20 March2011.