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Sugar: a Great Source of Heat and Energy

BOILING OF SUGAR: CANDY MAKING THERE are certain grasses, stems and roots that yield sweet juices, which are valuable to us not only for the mineral salts and organic acids contained in them, but also on account of the large proportion of the carbohydrate principle that is present in a comparatively assimilable form. These juices are separated from the water, fibrous and other matters with which they are combined, and are known commercially as sugar. See also chapter I. Sugar being readily changed to a liquid passes quickly into the circulation, and its stimulating effects are quickly felt; but it lacks "staying" qualities, and thus articles in which much sugar is used should be eaten after the substantial dishes rather than before them.

Sugar changed by cooking to caramel gives to many dishes a flavor that is unequaled. It may be made into a syrup and thus stored for use as needed. Caramel syrup may be used on fried mush or griddlecakes, as a sauce for custards and puddings, or to flavor cake, icing or ice cream. Sugar and water, or sugar and cream or milk, are cooked together as a foundation for candies and icings. In general do not allow the mixture to boil until the sugar is melted, then set to cook over a quick fire and let boil rapidly until the cooking is completed. When chocolate is to be used, add it just before the syrup is taken from the fire, as chocolate calls for no cooking. CARAMEL SYRUP Put one cup of sugar into a small saucepan, set over a quick fire and stir constantly while the sugar melts and changes to a light brown liquid. Lift the pan occasionally from the fire, that the sugar may not become burned at any one place. The caramel is cooked enough when it has become a bright golden brown color; it will darken a little more before it is changed to syrup, and so should not be kept over the fire too long, or when finished the color will be too dark and the flavor impaired. Add one cup of hot water and return the saucepan to the fire; let the syrup boil about five minutes, then it is ready to use, or it may be stored in a jar for future use. When the water is poured upon the caramel, considerable commotion will take place and care must be taken to keep the hand out of the steam.

DEGREES IN BOILING SUGAR When the sugar (for the caramel syrup) was cooked to the caramel degree, if water had not been added to it, on cooling it would have snapped and broken like glass. The sugar is caramel when it is melted and cooked to an amber color, or to 345 deg F. by a sugar thermometer. As the cooking is continued the caramel becomes darker in color, and, if the cooking be continued until the sugar reaches a density of 354 deg F. the sugar will burn or become carbon.

By setting the sugar to cook with water or other liquid, we may use it (for various purposes, as frostings for cake, candy, etc.) before it reaches the glass-like condition of caramel. A very little cooking changes the density of the syrup, and the sugar passes from one degree of concentration to another very rapidly; thus it must be watched very closely or it will be boiled too little or too much for the desired purpose. A sugar thermometer is very useful in this connection. In making frosting for cake, the sugar, with cold water enough to melt it, is cooked to the "soft ball" degree, or from 236 deg to 242 deg F. Without a thermometer, test the syrup by dropping a little of it into cold water; if it may be gathered together into a soft ball (in the water), or if, when the syrup drops from the spoon, a hair-like thread, two or three inches in length, appears, the right degree is reached. In candy-making we often cook the sugar to a higher degree. At about 248 deg F. the hard ball degree is reached; at this degree a little of the syrup may be gathered together in cold water to form a hard ball. When the syrup, tested in water, forms a ball that clings but does not stick to the teeth, the soft, crack degree (about 290 deg F.) is reached. At about 310 deg F. the hard crack degree is reached. At this point in the cooking the candy, pressed between the teeth, leaves them clean and free.

As in sugar boiling, the process is restricted entirely to driving off the water in composition, or that which has been added to the sugar, so a bright, clear day, rather than one in which the atmosphere is saturated with moisture, is desirable. In many frostings and candies a smooth texture is sought; in others a fine-grained texture is admissible.

When smoothness is demanded, the syrup must not be stirred during the cooking, and great pains must be taken to avoid any jarring of the syrup. When a grainy texture is admissible, the mixture may be stirred. The addition of acid in some form "breaks the grain" of the sugar and reduces its liability to granulate. Thus in candies or icings we may use cream of tartar, acetic acid (made from vinegar), lemon juice, glucose or molasses, any one of which will affect the resultant product in greater or less degree. We will look first at candies in which a slight grain is not objectionable. FRUIT FUDGE 2 cups of granulated sugar 1/2 cup of French fruit, cut fine 1/4 cup of glucose or corn syrup 1 teaspoonful of vanilla 1 1/2 cups of cream Stir the sugar, glucose and cream until the sugar is dissolved, then cook to the soft ball degree, or 236 deg F. In cold weather let the thermometer stand in a warm place a few moments before setting it into the saucepan. Stir the mixture occasionally, but very gently. In stirring lift the thermometer to stir underneath it. When the syrup is cooked enough, remove the saucepan to a cake cooler or wire coffee-stand, that a current of air may pass below it. Let stand until it is quite cool, then add the fruit and the vanilla and beat the mixture until it thickens and grains a little, then turn into a bread pan, neatly lined with waxed paper. When set (in about fifteen minutes) turn from the pan, peel off the paper and cut in cubes. In making chocolate fudge, add one or two squares or ounces of chocolate just as the pan is taken from the fire. Fudge in which glucose is used has to be beaten a little longer before it thickens and grains than fudge in which it is not used; if properly handled the fudge will, however, be softer and finer grained. OTHER VARIETIES OF FUDGE An almost endless variety of Fudge may be made. Figs, cut in pieces, or nuts, broken in pieces, may be added. Brown sugar or maple sugar may replace all or a part of the white sugar. Part of the fudge may be turned into a saucepan with an ounce of melted chocolate and, when both dishes of candy are cold and beaten, they may be put into a pan to make marbled fudge. Or chocolate may be added to all of the mixture, then part of the mixture may be cooled in ice water and the other half be allowed to cool more slowly. After the half, first ready, has been poured into the pan, it may be covered with marshmallows, split in halves, and then the other half, beaten in the usual manner, be poured over it. Or, when the candy is taken from the fire, half a pound or more of marshmallows may be gradually beaten into it; these cool the candy so that it may be at once turned into the pans.

DIVINITY FUDGE OR SPANISH NOUGAT 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar The white of 1 egg 1/2 cup of glucose or corn syrup 1 teaspoonful of vanilla 1/2 cup of water 1 cup of nut meats, chopped fine This candy on account of the glucose used may be stirred gently during cooking without its becoming grainy; the stirring should not be continuous. Cook the sugar, glucose and water to the soft ball degree (about 238 deg F.), then pour in a fine stream onto the white of egg, beaten dry, beating constantly meanwhile; return one-half of the syrup to the fire and cook to the crack degree, nearly 290 deg F., then pour onto the egg mixture, beating constantly meanwhile; add the vanilla and nuts and turn into a bread pan lined with waxed paper. When nearly cold remove from the tin and cut in cubes. The cubes are often wrapped in waxed paper. This candy, cut in narrow oblong strips and dipped in melted chocolate, is known as nougatines. Almonds are the nuts usually selected for nougatines. This candy is often cooked to a lower degree, both before and after it is first stirred into the white of egg; thus cooked it is not easily handled until after it has stood a day or two. BEST CARAMELS 1 1/4 cups of sugar 2 tablespoonfuls of butter 1/2 cup of glucose 3 tablespoonfuls of flour 1 pint of cream 1 teaspoonful of vanilla 1 yolk of egg Put the sugar, glucose and one cup of the cream over the fire to cook. Beat the yolk of egg; add the rest of the cream and very gradually (do not allow the mixture to stop boiling) stir this into the boiling candy; then let cook to the soft ball degree, 236 deg F., stirring occasionally. Beat the butter to a cream; gradually beat in the flour, then gradually stir this into the candy and let cook to 240 or 245 deg F., according to the season or the hardness desired in the candy. Add the vanilla and pour into two buttered bread-pans. When cold cut in cubes.