Sugar Cookery

1. Crystalline Sugar Products

1.1. Examples; Fondant, fudge, marzipan, coconut ice

1.2. Characteristics: Soft, smooth and creamy with tiny sugar crystals

1.3. Sugar Crystals are affected by: concentration, temperature, agitation, other substances and crystallizing agents

1.4. Prevent crystallization: mix all ingredients, stir until sugar has dissolved, no not stir when boiling and only allow to boil when completely dissolved.

2. Non-Crystalline Sugar Products

2.1. Examples; caramel, toffee, nougat, marshmallows

2.2. Characteristics; sometimes called armporhous (no form), chewy and hard

2.3. Prevent Crystallization: Cooking at high temperatures, adding large amounts of interfering substances, combining the methods

3. Effects of Air pressure on temperature

3.1. At sea Level the water boils at 100'C

3.2. The temperature will lower the higher the altitude is

3.3. In Gauteng the water boils at 98'C

3.4. Therefore the Sugar will reach a lower boiling temperature here than at sea level

3.5. Rather do the cold water test with the sugar thermometer