BETA
Chapter 1
The chemistry of boiled sugar
Chapter 2
How gummies get their bounce
Chapter 3
From bean to chocolate bar
Chapter 4
The art of stretching and aerating
YOUR GOAL
Master of How candy gets made
Ch 4 · The art of stretching and aerating
artiteacher Drag the warm candy mixture to learn how stretching taffy traps tiny air bubbles.
artiteacher Candy Stretching and Aerating
With every stretch, the air goes in, Making candy soft and light within!
artiteacher Marshmallows get their pillowy texture by whipping air into a mixture of sugar, water, and gelatin.
artiteacher Cotton candy machines use centrifugal force to fling liquid sugar through microscopic holes into thin air.
Fun Fact
Cotton candy dentist: The electric cotton candy machine was co-invented in 1897 by William Morrison, a dentist who ironically made a living treating cavities.
Glossary
taffy (noun)
A chewy candy made of boiled sugar or molasses, butter, and flavorings. By the turn of the 20th century, patented mechanical pullers replaced hand-stretching to mass-produce this confectionery.
A chewy candy made of boiled sugar or molasses, butter, and flavorings. By the turn of the 20th century, patented mechanical pullers replaced hand-stretching to mass-produce this confectionery.
Quiz
Which popular beachside candy is traditionally pulled on large mechanical hooks to aerate it?
Quiz
What physical force pushes melted sugar through tiny holes to create cotton candy?
Quiz
What shape of nozzle is typically used to extrude marshmallow ropes before they are sliced?
Quiz
What physical process turns dark, hard taffy into a light, chewy, and pastel-colored candy?
Quiz
What ingredient is dusted onto freshly cut marshmallows to stop them from sticking together?
Quiz
What gas is whipped into marshmallows to give them their fluffy, pillowy texture?