Technique Theory: Basic Hard Candy

The confectioner’s objective when cooking hard candy is to heat the syrup as quickly as possible to the highest possible temperature, removing nearly all of the water without allowing the syrup to brown. After it is cooked to the desired temperature, the syrup may be poured onto a lightly oiled marble slab in order to cool quickly. It is repeatedly folded so that it cools evenly to a malleable, plastic state, after which it can be pulled to aerate it and to make it opaque. Pulled sugar can be used to make ribbon candy, lollipops, canes or sticks, or individual candies.