Spun sugar is a confection most commonly identified as cotton candy. Made by melting sugar and whisking it into thin strands, it is used as a decorative dessert topping, as well as eaten alone.
Making Spun Sugar
In order to make spun sugar, it is not necessary to have access to a cotton candy machine of the kind seen at carnivals, though the enclosed machines do make the process safer and significantly less messy. Most spun sugar recipes involve heating a concoction of water, sugar and corn syrup to the optimal temperature of 310°, then cooling it rapidly with ice water. The cook then dips the whisk into the mixture and carefully waves it around, catching the strands on a panhandle or other implement. This process can cause severe burns, and should not be attempted with children nearby. -adapted from The Cooking Inn and About.comThe Cooking Inn: Days of Olde Spun Sugar About.com: Spun Sugar
Spun Sugar Merchandise
- Fantes.com: Candy Thermometers
References
Fast Facts
-
Fact:
Made by heating Sugar and pulling it into long threads
-
Fact:
Often used to decorate Desserts
-
Fact:
Cotton candy is most common form
-
Fact:
Called "candy floss" in Britain
-
Fact:
Believed to have been invented around 1900
