The Candy-Loving World
Pondering the old memories of my childhood, I remembered several things that made me smile. The sand castles we made every summer at the beach, the small tree house in our garden and the favorite candies my buddies and I used to buy at our favorite candy store. Candies make the best treats for children simply because their dynamic candy taste brings a smile to any child’s lips.
We are a candy loving world. Candies are everywhere! You can see them during the happy times (weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) and even the sad events of a person’s life. Candies have been made in this world for more than 400 years and their vibrant taste still keeps them alive.
Many companies have been candy making and selling candies for over a century, and each year further new companies enter into the candy business. Currently, there are more than 500 candy companies around the world, each making at least 6 varieties, which means there are at least 3000 kinds of candy being made. Actually, there are only five basic flavors of candies – sweet, sour, bitter, chili and lime. The candy companies enhance the flavor by mixing two, three or maybe all of the flavors together, or by adding fruit extracts to the candy mixture. Many of the companies’ varieties will therefore, naturally, taste the same, and in 2008, it was reported that candy consumption had dropped by almost 13%, and the main reason given was due to the repeating tastes.
Maybe you’re wondering how to make candy commercially. Candy making actually is a fun and easy process. Todays’ candy companies use highly mechanized plants that are equipped with such machines as continuous-cookers, crystallizers, forming-machines, chocolate enrobers, and cooling tunnels, all to make their candies. The basic candy making process is simply the boiling of sugar which any individual can do. There are only two main factors that affect the taste of candy – the ingredients and the procedure. As long as you choose the proper ingredients and follow the procedures exactingly, you are assured of making a delicious candy.
There are as many ways to candy making. There’s the old-fashioned technique which uses copper pots for ultimate heat distribution, the technique which uses specialized machinery, and the home technique, to name but a few.
The original copper-pot process begins with weighing the exact amounts of different sugars, dairy products and liquids, then cooking the mixture at the correct temperature. After cooking, the mixture is poured from the kettle into a water-jacketed beater, and allowed to cool before beginning to work the next batch. Once the batch is creamed out, it is ready to be formed into centers. The batch is then pulled from the beater and run through a depositor which forms the centers into individual pieces for hand-dipping. The centers are cooled again preceding being hand-dipped, and returned to the cooler, to cool the coating and develop sheen. Each candy is then placed in its candy case, and boxed.
The modern industrial process employs highly specialized machinery to do the candy-mixing, aerating, molding, stamping and drawing, to cooling and coating. It also uses automatic decorators which garnish the finished product with that tinge of creativity and inventiveness.
The home technique which most mothers are familiar with uses simple ingredients, and produces some of the best results. Together with your child, you can make and create candies that suit your personal tastes. Children love to cook so this is one way of bonding with them. There are many home candy-making recipes. As an example, let me take you through an easy formula.
The procedure begins with the sugar. Working with sugar is simple. Just boil half a kilo of sugar with a cup of water. After heating, you can take it from the pan, cool and mold it to whatever shape you like. Children love this step, so let them help with the molding. It stimulates their cooking and creative skills. Next choose a flavor you and your children love, or you can think of any unique flavor by mixing two or more zests together, or just add fruit extracts.
Making tasty treats, having a successful business, or strengthening bonds are some of the reasons why people engage in candy making. Whatever the reason is, you also get a lot fun and enjoyment!
Some people say the making of candies requires additional skills and methods. Personally speaking, I was born with very few cooking skills, but I have always managed to make cute candies, such as the beautiful heart-shaped candies that I made recently with my family’s names on. All you need to have is patience, perseverance and imagination. It’s quite easy. So what’s next? Grab your apron, and start making the candies that will evoke your creativity and bring color to your life!
