Cotton Candy
Don’t be scared that the word “decapitating” appears in the first sentence of this recipe! It is just in reference to a hack you need to perform on a standard wire whisk in order to make this cotton candy at home. This recipe is more of a spun sugar than a true cotton candy but you can use it similarly and if candy making is of interest, this recipe, as well as the Licorice, are both from Atelier Confectionery, a book to add to your DIY shelf. We love this book for the large inviting photographs and easy to follow instructions. These cotton candy “pops” are perfect for a child’s birthday party – but believe me, offer them to adults and they go just as crazy over them.
Excerpted with permission from Atelier Confectionery
preparation time : 5 minutes
cook time : 45–50 minutes, plus cooling
- 400 g (14 oz) granulated sugar
- 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water
- 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) liquid glucose
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Small amount of food colouring paste
- Prepare a whisk by decapitating it, then cut the rounded bottom of the whisk to resemble a spiky fork.
- Heat the sugar, water and liquid glucose in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Insert a sugar thermometer and bring the mixture to the boil, cleaning the sides of the saucepan with a damp pastry brush to avoid crystallisation around the saucepan if necessary. Boil the syrup without stirring until it reaches 149°C (300°F), hard crack stage.
- Once the sugar syrup has reached the correct temperature, remove the pan from the heat and leave to settle. Add the vanilla extract and food colouring and mix well. Leave to cool down slightly.
- Prepare your work surface with a large sheet of baking paper and cover the floor with some used newspaper to prevent the sugar syrup from spilling onto the floor.
- Once the sugar has cooled and thickened, dip the whisk into it and let the excess sugar drip back down into the saucepan. Move the whisk over to the baking paper and, from a height, swing the whisk back and forth so that thin strands of sugar drop onto the baking paper.
- Repeat this until you have enough spun sugar to form a nest, then insert a lollipop stick, about 8–10 cm (3¼–4 in) into the spun sugar nest, and eat immediately.
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