Sugar is a product that we eat every day. Usually it is sold in the form of small friable crystals. Therefore, the phrase "candy sugar" is of many curiosity. This product was developed by modern scientists. Like simple sugar, it can be added to various dishes and drinks.
Appointment
The creators of candy sugar are scientists from the Institute of Food Technology and Technology Management. The main goal is the development and expansion of the range of sugar-containing products. Sweetness can be a great alternative to sweets and simple sugars. It has a lower solubility in water, therefore it is unable to affect the rich taste of drinks and food.
In addition, as noted by some people who have tasted candy sugar, it has a milder taste than a crumbly or pressed product. At the same time, natural sweetness increases, and the taste nuances do not change.
Currently, several companies produce candy sugar at once. It is mainly used in the manufacture of confectionery. And some brewing companies use the product in order to increase the alcohol content in beer. The most famous varieties are Trippel and Belgian Dubbel. The main advantage of sweetness is that it does not exert an excessive load on the yeast, therefore, foreign taste shades do not appear in the drink.
Varieties
There are several types of sugar crystalline sugar:
- transparent or white;
- golden;
- brown.
They differ in color, cooking technology, taste. In order to change the shade, special devices are used in the production in which beet or cane sugar is heated to a certain temperature. The higher this indicator, the darker the color. Often in shops you can find candy sugar on a stick. Manufacturers recommend using it instead of a spoon, dipping it in tea or coffee and stirring the drink.
Transparent
It may be with a slight cloudy dimming. It is also called white. During manufacture, heating to 135 degrees occurs. The crystals are small in size, have an uneven shape. They are very durable, so biting them is not recommended. There is an assumption that this variety was invented in China, since it was from there that the assertion came that sugar, completely dissolved, spoils the taste of a tea drink.
Golden Stone Sugar
A product made from cane juice is used for it. The cooking temperature is 145 degrees. A distinctive feature is a peculiar aroma and large crystals. In order to divide a piece into parts, special tongs are often used. The benefits of this variety are that it contains fewer calories than the same slice of plain refined.
Brown candy sugar
It takes longer to prepare. Products are heated to 155-160 degrees during cooking. This type is used not only as a treat and preparation of sweets. Often it is added for glazing dishes. These recipes came to us from Asian cuisine. Brown sugar gives a unique taste to any meat. One of the most famous dishes is glazed chicken with soy sauce.
Storage conditions
In order for the product to retain its useful properties longer, attention must be paid to the conditions of its storage. It is recommended to keep candy sugar in tightly closed tight containers in places with low humidity. Exposure to heat is also dangerous for this sweetness. It is optimal that this figure does not exceed 25-26 degrees. Shelf life of sugar candy is 2-3 years, if all of the above conditions are met.
How to make at home
You can try to make a product such as candy sugar yourself at home, as our grandmothers once did. To do this, you need to take: parchment paper, a saucepan with a heat-resistant coating, a wooden spatula, a special immersion thermometer that can withstand temperatures up to 150 degrees. You will also need ingredients - sugar (1 kg), citric acid (1 tsp), boiled water (1 cup). Acid can be replaced with lemon juice. This component is needed to invert sugars.
It is recommended to add water immediately, before the sugar has boiled, otherwise the sweet spray can inadvertently burn, because sugar has a very high boiling point. For the manufacture of candy sweets, you must follow the instructions:
- Mix the components, put on a small fire.
- Constantly stirring to achieve complete dissolution of sugar.
- Continue heating until the mixture has the desired color and temperature.
- Turn off the stove and pour the mass on parchment paper.
- Wait until it solidifies and break into pieces.
This method is good in that you can stop boiling when sugar becomes the preferred color. If you want to get a different color, you can mix food coloring while the sugar is still white.
After hardening, you can chop the resulting product into pieces and put it in a sealed metal box or glass jar. Self-made candy sugar is not recommended to be stored for more than 1 year.