spinning suger

Spun Sugar

makes 3 cups(720 ml) or 1 pound, 8 ounces(680g)
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1 cup (240 ml) water
2 pounds, 8 ounces (1 kg, 135 g) sanding or granulated sugar
8 ounces (225 g) glucose or light corn syrup
food color, optional

This recipe is used for Spun Sugar. Make sure that your sugar and tools are absolutely clean. Scoop the top layer of sugar to one side in the bin before taking out what you need. Try to use sanding sugar if possible. And never use the flour scoop when measuring the sugar!

It is important to use glucose when boiling sugar, it helps prevent recrystallization.

1. Fill a bowl that is large enough to hold the pan used to cook the sugar with enough cold water to reach halfway up thesides of the pan. Set the bowl of water aside.

2. Place the water and sugar in a sugar pan or a heavy saucepan. Stir the mixture gently over low heat until all of the sugar has dissolved and the syrup has started to boil. If any scum accumulates on top from impurities in the sugar, remove it with a skimmer or small sieve so that it does not cause the sugar to recrystallize later. Add the glucose or corn syrup, stirring until it is thoroughly mixed in. Do not stir any further after this point.

3. Turn the heat to medium, place a lid on the pan, and let the sugar boil hard for a few minutes. The steam trapped inside the pan will wash down the sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan at this stage. Or you can wash down the sides using a clean brush dipped in water instead (the brush should be dedicated to use in sugar boiling). At this point if you can store and finish cooking in smaller portions as needed if you are not going to use the full batch.

4. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan. When the temperature reaches 265 degrees (130 C), add the coloring if it is being used. Stop brushing and boil the sugar to 310 degrees (155 C), the hard crack stage. (Note: It is a good idea, especially if you are boiling a large amount of sugar, to remove the pan from the heat a few degrees before it reaches 310 degrees (155C), watch the mercury rise to the required temperature off the heat, then plunge the pan into cold water.) Immediately remove from the heat and plunge the bottom of the pan into cold water for a few seconds to stop the cooking process and cool the sugar a little. Take the pan out of the water and let the syrup stand until slightly thickened before you start to spin to prevent too many drops falling off the whish during the spinning process. Do not stir the sugar.

5. You will need a cut whisk. A metal whisk with the rounded end cutt off and the wires spreaded apart slightly to use for spun sugar. Dip the cut whisk about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) into the sugar. Gently shake off excess by moving the whisk in an up and down motion just above the surface of the sugar syrup. Do not hold the whish up too high when you do this or the sugar drops will cool down too much as they fall back into the pan, and this can cause the sugar to recrystallize.

6. Make Spun Sugar by flicking the hot sugar syrup back and forth between two dowels extended over the edge of a table. Spin the sugar by flicking the whish back and forth in a rapid motion between the two dowels. Continue dipping and spinning the sugar until a reasonable amont has accumulated on the dowels.

7. Gather the sugar off the dowels and place in the airtight container. Continue spinning the emaining sugar. Sugar will start to accumulate on the whisk and glue the wires together. Remove it by placing the whisk inside a small plastic bag. Tighten the bag around the handle and strike the whisk sharply against the edge of the table. If the syrup cools down too much, warm it over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent the sugar from becoming any darker than necessary.

Note: It is impossible to predict a precise yield when spinning sugar. On a rainy or humid day, you will get a much smaller volume. Also, depending on how many times you have to reheat the sugar, youmay not be able to use all of the syrup.

Note: If you spin the sugar in a dry place, you can store it for up to two days by lining the bottom of an airtight conainer with a dehumidifying agent covered with a sheet of foil.
:chef:

I'm moving this to where the pastry professionals are more likely to see it. They REALLY know about this stuff. (No offense to you, markdavis6 -- your formula looks right on and perfect to follow.)

You can also replace the glucose with some form of acid solution (cream of tartar solution, etc..). As for adding it after it starts to boil, I find that a wasted step, just throw it all in the pan at the beginning and have at it.

I would hold off on adding acid to a spun sugar recipe. Not that you cannot add it you can but I don't think the results will be the same. Acids in sugar just act as a moisture inhibitor which you do not really need in spun sugar. It would be necessary in pulled and blown sugar work or where you are casting large pieces for show work. You can also make a shaker from plywood. A 1 inch thick piece 3x3 with 3 inch nails driven through it 1 inch apart. This stuff also makes a mess so I would advise covering your floors and countertops with paper or plastic.

hum, not sure about deleting the glucose or corn starch, really need some invert.
Please be careful when working with this! It is not always necessary to utilize a large area and throw the sugar. You can also achieve good results by working small, even with forks. The more swiping back and forth the more build up on your utensil from the air.more likely to get it on yourself,more on the floor etc. You will be surprised on the volume from working small.Placing the pan on an inverted cake pan or something will give you more time to spin.
I think the method and proceedures on the posts are great and I'm not disagreeing with them. working large is good, but i have found that you tend to get drips in the strands. ice carving tool is also good.

The back of a metal ladle works great for things like nests. Grease it before hand though. Hey Pan how are you doing?