Cockerels of red and gold leaf, mint green sweets on sticks, caramel in the shape of a Kremlin - how many wonderful sweets from childhood are remembered when you are going to make something from burnt sugar! From such caramel at home, you can make sweets of any shape, as well as decorations for desserts, cakes and other pastry delights.
Types of Sugar Syrup
How to cook sugar for candy and other sweets of this type? In order for your delicacy to turn out as it should, you need to know some important technological subtleties. Firstly, the syrup in the process of preparation goes through several stages, each of which has its own parameters. At home, the test is done by color, texture and taste. Therefore, if you only learned how to boil sugar, and learn this, you need to pay attention to the thickness of the obtained thread, the hardness of the sweet ball, as well as the color - caramel or burnt.
Sugar Melting Steps: Wrapping
To make caramel with your own hands, you must clearly follow the steps in the melting of sugar. The first is called wrapping. Water and sand are brought to a boiling point (100 degrees) and maintained in this state for some time until a syrup is formed. The fire should not be strong, otherwise the syrup will quickly thicken. If you put a spoon in syrup and immediately take it out, its sweetness will be wrapped in a thin film. Here's how to cook caramelized fruit sugar or savory.
Thin caramel thread
If you do not remove the pan from the stove, the second stage will soon begin - crystallization of the syrup. The boiling point should already be brought to 105 degrees. The liquid in the pan begins to thicken. If you lower the spoon into it and gently pull it out, the syrup will stretch with thin threads, completely fragile. Here you need to stop for those who want to learn how to boil sugar to make candied fruits.
Frosting
The next stage is the formation of glaze. The boiling point reaches 110 degrees. Sugar threads become thicker, stronger. If you lower the spoon into the syrup, it is evenly covered with a light sweet substance. Here's how to boil sugar to the point where the product is suitable for glazing baking or fruit.
Sweet Pearls
For an even thicker treat, continue to increase the boiling point. Now it should be equal to + 112 ° . In addition to hard, thick, sparkling threads, the surface of the syrup is covered with small bubbles. Do not miss this moment if you are interested in how to make homemade sugar for pastille. And if you make the fire stronger, increase the temperature to + 115 ° C, the bubbles become more voluminous and harder. Dipping chestnuts in such a liquid, you get the famous French dessert. By heating the syrup to + 125 ° C, you can cook on its basis a cream, nougat and many other delicious things!
Caramelization
And now we come to an important point, namely, a description of how to cook caramel from sugar. The temperature should be around 135 ° C. To check if the syrup has reached the desired degree of density, put a drop in a spoon and drip into cold water. If the ball has retained its shape, then the workpiece is correct and everything is ready for caramel. She is good for making a sweet “gimp” and other sugar decorations. Syrup turns into caramel when there is practically no water left in it (from + 155 ° ).
Sugar color
All sugar products described above have a pronounced silvery color and rich sparkling. Starting from + 145 ° and above, the shade of the syrup changes - from straw yellow to golden and then to brown with varying degrees of saturation. Being already more like a burnt woman, such sugar is used not as a dessert, but as an additive in ice cream, cream, etc.
Crockery and accessories
Now you know how to make sugar caramel for candy. The next question: "What is this to do?" To make syrup, you need a thick-walled pan so that the sugar does not burn quickly. The dishes should have comfortable handles. The product should be mixed with a wooden or silicone spoon or spatula, without diligently stirring. To measure the temperature, use a special culinary thermometer.
Lollipops from childhood
And now, in fact, about how to cook sugar candies - "cockerels". First of all, for making treats you will need special molds. They consist of two halves that need to be tightly joined and locked. Lubricate both parts thoroughly with vegetable oil from the inside. Boil sugar syrup at a temperature of + 155 ° C, and then carefully, so as not to burn yourself, pour caramel through the holes provided for this in the molds. Insert the sticks and leave the sweets to cool. After half an hour, open containers - your lollipops are ready. This is, in general terms, a description of the process of how to cook "cockerels" from sugar. A detailed step-by-step instruction looks like this: take about 700 g of sugar, 250 ml of water, about 200 g of glucose, a little lemon juice. If you plan to use dye, then store it too. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and set it on fire. Let the contents boil. Add dye and boil the syrup to the desired consistency and temperature. Pick up a small brush: with it you can remove syrup from the walls. When the caramelization process begins, grasp the molds and pour wonderful candies! So you know how to cook "cockerels" from sugar!
And some more goodies
Having various tins, you can prepare a variety of sweets, experimenting with food colors. And to get more interesting taste and aromatic properties in the syrup, add not only lemon, but also other saturated juice - citrus or fruit and berry, as well as vanillin, ground cinnamon, etc. If you don’t have any tins, but homemade sweets really want, then just take small bowls or other dishes in the shape of a hemisphere. Lubricate them with oil and pour a thin stream of syrup, then let cool. As a result, you got candy slides that you can simply eat, or you can turn them into original table decor elements - bowls, if you turn them upside down.
Caramel nuts
This wonderful dessert will delight the sweet tooth of any age. It is original in taste and pleasantly diversifies your sweet table. Any nuts are suitable - peeled almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts. In the latter, the nucleoli are carefully divided into halves. When the caramel (the layout of the products can be taken the same as for the "cocks") is respected to 155 ° C, put each nut on a knitting needle and dip in hot syrup. Quickly remove and place on an oiled plate, and remove the spoke. When the caramel coating hardens, you can take sweets and enjoy eating.
Lollipop Blossom
Very tasty pieces of burnt sugar will turn out to be very tasty . Take granulated sugar 300 g, 100 g water, 70 - glucose. Boil the syrup at 155 degrees. Spread sheets of well-oiled paper on the table and pour a puddle of free-form syrup onto them with a spoon. Wait for it to solidify. Then gently peel off and enjoy your health!
Safety precautions
When working with sugar syrup, safety precautions must be observed. When heated, it can boil and splash, so take care of your hands. While stirring, hold the pan by the handle, especially tilting it to your side. Also carefully pour into molds.