Hard candy

Creation

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 add citric acid, food dye, and some flavouring, such as a plant extract, essential oil, or flavourant. The syrup concoction, which is now very thick, can be poured into a mold or 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 called hard candy, since it becomes stiff and brittle as it approaches room temperature.

Chemistry

Chemically, sugar candies are broadly divided into two groups: crystalline candies and amorphous candies. Crystalline candies are not as hard as crystals of the mineral variety, but derive their name and their texture from their microscopically organized sugar structure, formed through a process of crystallization, which makes them easy to bite or cut into. Amorphous candies have a disorganized molecular structure and do not have a grainy (rough or gritty) texture, so they may also be called ungrained. Hard candies are non-crystalline, amorphous candies containing about 98% (or more) solid sugar.

Medicinal use

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

Sugar-free

Hard candies and throat lozenges prepared without sugar employ isomalt as a sugar substitute, and are sweetened further by the addition of an artificial sweetener, such as aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, or a sugar alcohol, such as xylitol.

In Japan

Japanese hard candies are known as bekkō ame (鼈甲飴, lit: tortoiseshell candy). Common legends about the yōkai Kuchisake-onna say that she can be escaped by distracting her with bekkō ame.

Names

Boiled sweet is a misnomer, as sucrose (a disaccharide) melts fully at approximately 186 °C. Further heating breaks it into glucose and fructose molecules before it can vaporize.

Notes

References

References

1. McWilliams, Margaret. (2007). "Nutrition and Dietetics' 2007 Edition". Rex Bookstore, Inc..
2. NPCS. (2013). "Confectionery Products Handbook (Chocolate, Toffees, Chewing Gum & Sugar Free Confectionery)". Asia Pacific Business Press.
3. NPCS. (2013). "Confectionery Products Handbook (Chocolate, Toffees, Chewing Gum & Sugar Free Confectionery)". Asia Pacific Business Press.
4. "FAQs: Candy".
5. "How To Treat Hypoglycemia".
6. Edwards, W. P.. (2000). "The Science of Sugar Confectionery". [[Royal Society of Chemistry]].
7. Foster, Michael Dylan. (2008-11-03). "Pandemonium and Parade: Japanese Monsters and the Culture of Yokai". University of California Press.
8. "What Are Boiled Sweets".