Aerators

All aerated confections are made according to the same principle: incorporating gas in a sugar mixture and stabilizing the aerated mixture before the gas can escape. Two primary ingredients commonly used as aerators in confections are gelatin and albumen. Soy protein is another confectionery aerator, but although it is used in mass production of nougats, it is not usually found in artisan confections. All of the aerators referred to here are proteins that trap air bubbles as the proteins are denatured during vigorous whipping. Stabilization of the foam is achieved either by high sugar content alone or through the addition of another stabilizer, such as gelatin.