Types of Candies
Candy has a long history as a familiar food treat available in a large varieties. Candy is also referred to as sweets or confectionery.
Candy varieties are influenced by the size of the sugar crystals, aeration, sugar concentrations, colour and the types of sugar used. Jelly candies, such as gumdrops and gummies, use stabilizers including starch, pectin or gelatin. Simple sugar or sucrose is turned into candy by dissolving it in water, concentrating this solution through cooking and allowing the mass either to form a mutable solid or to recrystallize. Other sugars, sugar substitutes, and corn syrup are also used.
Key elements in the candy making process are in sugar's physical properties. Specifically its solubility and its effect on the water's boiling point. At room temperature, about 2 kilos of sugar will dissolve in 1 kilo of water. At higher temperatures, more sugar can be dissolved in the same amount of water. Once dissolved, however, the sugar will raise the boiling point of the water. The result of these physical chemistry properties is a specific relationship between the solution's boiling point and the amount of sugar solids contained therein.
The first part of basic candy making, therefore, is cooking a sugar solution to a specific temperature to form a supersaturated solution with a known solids content. When this solution cools, the sugar's solubility decreases and the sugar crystallizes out of solution.
The next part of making a candy is controlling how this recrystallization takes place. It is also known as graining. The type of crystals that form during cooling depend upon boiling and cooling temperatures, agitation, the presence of other ingredients such as stabilizers and fats, and the pH of the solution.
Very large, coarse crystals develop when a supersaturated sucrose solution is cooled without agitation, which forms the basis of rock candy. A sugar solution that is rapidly cooled with agitation produces very fine crystals that are used in cream-filled centers or fondant. To some, confectionery development remains more of an art than a science, yet no one can dispute the significant role that sugar crystallization plays in forming a confection's texture and contributing to its mouthfeel. In fact, the wide variety of candies exist today because of the ways in which sugar can be manipulated in its crystalline form.
Sugar crystals range in size from very fine to very coarse. Non-crystalline sugar solutions can harden into an amorphous state, referred to as a glass. For many confections, it is critical that sugar remain non-crystalline. In these candies, crystal formation, or graining, can result in cloudiness or loss of smoothness. Fructose is typically more soluble than sucrose and thus tends to stay in its non-crystalline phase, or syrup phase. Since honey is composed primarily of fructose and glucose, it is often used to retard sucrose crystallization in candies, as are corn syrups. The following chart highlights those candies that are categorized as crystalline and those that are non-crystalline.
| Crystalline Candies | Non-Crystalline Candies |
| Chocolates | Hard candies |
| Fudge | Toffee |
| Fondant | Caramel |
| Nougat | Gummed candies |
| Tablets | |
| Panned candies | |
| Marshmallows |
Candies can be group into four basic types.
Ungrained Candies, or Non-Crystalline Candies
Ungrained candy are candies in which the sugar isn't crystallized. These include hard candies, as well as chewy candies such as toffee and caramel. Hard candies start with a basic sugar/ glucose syrup blend cooked down to around 2% moisture and blended with flavors and colors. Cooking the basic sugar/ glucose syrup blend to a moisture level between 3% to 15% forms the basis of a chewy non-grained candy. Caramels, on the other hand, require milk and fat in the formula to provide flavor and color. In caramels, the Maillard reaction that goes on with the reducing sugars and milk proteins is important for developing both flavor and color.
Hard Candies
Hard Candies - Based on sugars cooked to the hard-crack stage, including suckers (known as boiled sweets in British English), lollipops, jawbreakers (or gobstoppers), lemon drops, peppermint drops and disks, candy canes, rock candy, etc. These also include types often mixed with nuts such as brittle.
Root Beer Barrels, Lemon Drops, Butterscotch, Licorice, Peppermint, Cinnamon
Peppermint and other candy sticks, candy canes
Lollipops
Rock candy
Chewy Caramels and Toffees
Chewy candies such as caramels are similar to hard candies in formulation, but the amount of glucose or corn syrups is increased in proportion to sucrose. These confections have a higher moisture content and are cooked at lower temperatures than hard candies.
Caramels
Caramels contain dairy-based proteins such as: sweetened condensed milk, whey powders, cream, skim milk. These proteins react with reducing sugars in the presence of heat during the Maillard reaction, which causes the distinctive brown color and carmelized flavor associated with caramels. Caramels are cooked at lower temperatures (115.6-121.1°C or 240-250°F) to avoid scorching due to the presence of milk proteins.
Toffee
Toffee, while similar to caramels, is boiled at a higher temperature (@ 148.9°C or 300°F) and has a lower amount of dairy ingredients and fat. Its texture is harder than caramel due to its lower moisture and fat content and it is generally darker in color.
Grained Candies, or Crystalline Candies
Grained candies include products such as after-dinner mints, fondants/creme centers, and fudge. Grained candy formulas are similar to those of chewy candies. To promote crystallization, however, the formula must have a higher level of sugar solids and the process usually includes agitation.
Fudge
Fudge is essentially a caramel-like candy that has been grained. Fudge varieties range in their degree of texture and moistness. The final flavor and texture of fudge depends on the following: boiling of the caramel base, amount of fondant added, and proportion of sucrose to glucose.
Firmer, shorter textures are typically produced when higher boiling temperatures, longer boiling times, more fondant and higher sucrose ratios are used. These conditions induce faster crystallization of sugars.
Fondants and Cremes
Fondant
Fondant has been described as the grained confection that is used to crystallize the fudge's caramel-type base. Fondants are typically made by mixing a supersaturated-sucrose solution with invert sugar or glucose-containing syrup. The boiled mixture is cooled with a high degree of agitation so that minute crystals form and become suspended in the liquid syrup phase.
Fondants were traditionally made with cream of tartar, which caused sucrose inversion, but glucose-containing syrups are now used because they produce more consistent formulations.
Quality of fondant depends on: creaming temperature, speed of agitation, retardation of crystallization, sucrose to glucose ratio, moisture content
Microbial spoilage can occur if the moisture level reaches 15-20%. Sugar alcohols act as humectants and lower the water activity of the fondant, thereby inhibiting microbial activity.
Creme Centers
After fondants are cooled they can be remelted for making creme centers. A syrup is added to the heated mixture containing a higher proportion of glucose-containing syrup than that used in the original formulation. The syrup that is added is called a 'bob.'
Jelly Candies
Jelly candies: Including those based on sugar and starch, pectin, gum, or gelatin such as Lokum / Turkish Delight, jelly beans, gumdrops, jujubes, cola bottles gummies, etc.
Jelly candies include starch, pectin or gelatin in the basic formula to achieve yet another unique candy texture. The type of gelling agent use will make the biggest difference. A gum-based jelly candy will be chewier, while a starch jelly candy will be shorter. It is also will be stickier. Pectin jellies make a high quality jelly candy with a good texture and good flavor release (unique texture which consists of a relatively soft bite with a short texture and rapid meltaway). Pectin is used more in higher priced, premium jelly candies and centers. A gelatin-based jelly candy gives a greater clarity. The gelatin normally used has a medium to high bloom or gel strength. A wide range of textures can be generated using either lower concentrations of a high-bloom gelatin, which gives a more tender and short texture jelly candy or higher concentrations of a low-bloom which gives a more elastic and chewy texture jelly candy.
Gummies and jellies come in range of shapes and textures. Besides the gelling agents (i.e., starches, gums, pectin), sweeteners, flavoring agents and colors are added. Softer candies tend to be higher in sucrose than corn syrup and gelling agent. Regular corn syrups help control crystallization and hygroscopicity.
Aerated Candies
Aerated candies comprise a large group of products. Aerated candies can be based on a syrup mixture that is either ungrained or grained. These candies are unified by the fact that they all require the inclusion of air into the basic syrup matrix during processing. Aeration is normally in two means: chemical or mechanical. In chemical aeration, the candy will contain ingredients such as sodium bicarbonate to leaven it like a baked product. In mechanical aeration, the formula will contain a foaming agent and/or a stabilizer, and it will have air incorporated using a continuous pressure beater. Aerated candies may be either grained or ungrained, their sweetener blends can be quite different from one another. Aerating agents, which often are protein-based ingredients such as egg albumen and soy protein are used. Stabilizers are often used in aerated candies. Gelatin, is a key stabilizer because gelatin in this application decreases surface tension and it gives the cell walls resistance to deformation and maintains the structure. Water-binding capabilities also help to increase shelf life.
Candies can be aerated as follows:
- mechanical means - pulling
- chemical means - sodium bicarbonate
- adding a frappé (a fondant with a whipping agent)
The more syrup present in the initial fondant, the denser the frappé. If the syrup phase is too high, the texture can become coarse and gritty.
Nougat
A nougat is a fondant that has been further aerated with a frappé. Fat is also added to decrease stickiness and act as a release aid during the cutting process.
Marshmallows
A marshmallow is a nougat without the fat. Marshmallows are also higher in moisture than nougats. Marshmallows are made by adding an aerating agent to the sucrose or glucose syrups.
Aerated confections such as marshmallows can crystallize during storage, causing the product to become grainy. Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates will not crystallize and can be used to maintain a product's texture. Sorbitol can also help maintain a product's softness.
Tablets and Pan Coated Candies
Tablets (M&Ms, Sweet Tarts)
Although tableting grades of sucrose, dextrose and lactose are used in the production of tablet-type confections, dextrose is preferred because it produces the hardest texture. Softer textures can be made by adding standard grades of sucrose or dextrose to the formulation. Dextrose is also the most stable under acidic conditions and its negative heat of solution often complements the candy's flavor.
Sorbitol is commonly used in tablets because it can achieve a high level of hardness without requiring high pressurization. Flavor selection is important when using crystalline sorbitol because water-based flavors can dissolve the sweetener, causing the candy to become sticky.
Pan Coated Candies
Panned candies have a thin layer or shell that is applied as the candy's center is tumbled in a large, rotating vessel. Sucrose forms hard candy shells. Corn syrup can be added to soften the coating. Dextrose is also commonly used.
Chocolate Defects Related to Sugar
| Problem | Cause |
| Caking | Sugar is not dry |
| Gritty chocolate paste during refining step | Inconsistent particle size |
| Chocolate paste too thin | Invert sugar |
| Sugar bloom | Moisture migration |
Defects of Hard Candies |
Cause |
| Stickiness |
|
| Graining |
|
Fudge - A confection of milk and sugar boiled to the soft-ball stage. In the US, it tends to be chocolate-flavored.
Toffee
Taffy - Tootsie rolls?
Caramel
Fondant - Fondant is used in confectionery creme centers.
Nougat - Nougat is a type of confection made from sugar, honey, and nuts. It is popular throughout Europe, where it probably originated, and in Australia, along with parts of Asia. In the United States, a variety of nougat is often used as a filling for candy bars and sweets. This type of nougat, while rooted in European nougat, is usually made slightly differently. The word “nougat” is French, and it comes from the Latin nux, for “nut.” The most basic nougat incorporates the principle ingredients and may also include dried fruit. It can be served alone as a standalone confection, as is popular in Italy, or it can be covered in chocolate or used as a candy filling. Nougat is especially popular during the holiday season, and many hosts have a plate of nougat out for guests, or give out small wrapped parcels of nougat. The nougat is chewy, rich, and intensely sugary. For consumers with dental problems, nougat can be a painful treat. The two primary variations of nougat are white nougat and brown nougat. White nougat is made with egg whites, so it is lighter, softer, and chewier in texture. Brown nougat is made with caramelized sugar, and tends to be harder and darker in color.
Marshmallow - "Peeps" (a trade name), circus peanuts
Liquorice: is a semi-soft candy that was originally flavored with a root extract of the Eurasian plant liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), of the Fabaceae (legume) family. As a candy, they are often black with licorice flavor or red and strawberry or cherry flavored.
Dragée - Coated almonds and other types of coated candy. Jordan almonds are almonds which are toasted and then covered in a hard sugar shell, which is traditionally white or pastel colored. Many people are familiar with Jordan almonds in the form of wedding favors, although they are also used at other holidays in some regions of the world. The sweets are a form of dragée, confectionery which consists traditionally of nuts covered in a hard shell.
Chocolates - Bon bon typically refers to a chocolate or a truffle confection. The term bon bon comes from the French and is actually simply a repetition of the word good. The bon bon to the French is a chocolate covered candy or truffle, often with a butter cream or fondant center.
Marzipan: An almond-based confection, doughy in consistency, served in several different ways. It is often formed into shapes mimicking (for example) fruits or animals. Alternatively, marzipan may be flavoured, normally with spirits such as Kirsch or Rum, and divided into small bite-sized pieces; these flavoured marzipans are enrobed in chocolate to prevent the alcohol from evaporating, and are common in northern Europe. Marzipan is also used in cake decoration. Its lower-priced version is called Persipan. Marzipan is an almond and sugar paste used to ice cakes and other pastries or sculpted into a variety of shapes to be eaten as candy or used as cake decorations. Marzipan is simply a mixture of almond paste, powdered sugar, and a moistening agent such as water, corn syrup, glucose, fondant, or egg whites. After the ingredients are mixed, marzipan reaches a consistency of dough or soft rubber and can be rolled, shaped, cut, or molded. You can buy almond paste to make your own marzipan by mixing equal parts almond paste and powdered sugar, and then slowly working in a small amount of corn syrup until the mixture has a soft, slightly dry, dough-like consistency. With your own marzipan, some food coloring, a clean work surface, and some spare powdered sugar in case the marzipan gets too sticky to work with, you can make your own marzipan candy in whatever shapes you can imagine.
Divinity: A nougat-like confectionery based on egg whites with chopped nuts. Divinity candy is a meringue-type confection also known as white divinity fudge or even rolls. Those who study food history find that divinity candy most likely originated in the early 1900s. Although there are variations of the numerous Divinity candy recipes, most contain granulated sugar, water, egg whites, and corn syrup. Some recipes also contain nuts and vanilla. Other variations contain chocolate, coconut and/or various other flavorings, such as peppermint extract or orange oil. Some recipes call the confection seafoam instead of divinity candy when brown sugar is used instead of granulated sugar. No matter what the variation, the result remains a fluffy, air like candy with a crisp outer layer.
