Caramel sweets. Caramel candies
Caramels are accessible to everyone, since the cheapest raw materials are used for their production - water, molasses and sugar, the same ingredients are used in the production of candy. But not all caramels contain natural ingredients and can be given to a child.
More useful is simple unglazed caramel, so that the caramel does not dry out and looks beautiful, it is glazed with sugar syrup on a conveyor belt.
Don't eat caramel if...
You unwrapped the candy wrapper, and the caramel is sticky and wet. It is easy to get poisoned because a damp surface is an excellent environment for pathogenic bacteria to live. And if the package contains candies without candy wrappers or with leaking filling, then the manufacturer is negligent in the production of sweets.
Fruit and berry fillers should not have a burnt aftertaste, and fatty fillers should have. This indicates that confectionery manufacturers and sellers do not comply with storage conditions; the caramel is kept in heat or in high humidity conditions. Under proper storage conditions, caramel can be stored for up to a year.
Step 1: Cook caramel.
We will need a pan with a thick and light bottom so that the color of the future caramel can be clearly seen. Try to find exactly this one. Light the burner and set the burning level to the lowest possible level. It would be very good to use a divider, if available. Pour sugar, water and vinegar into a saucepan, mix and place on the stove. You will have to spend about 20 minutes near the stove, during which time the sugar should boil down completely, and the finished caramel will have a golden brown color. Caramel should not be stirred with a spoon, but if you see that in some places it is becoming darker, then carefully tilt the pan in different directions. And it’s better not to bring the caramel to a boil.Step 2: Prepare the molds and prepare the lollipops.
While the sugar syrup slowly turns into caramel, you need to prepare the lollipop molds, namely, thoroughly grease each inside with vegetable oil. This is necessary so that the lollipops do not stick to the mold and leave it freely without breaking. 
We close the molds, and then pour the finished caramel into them carefully through a special hole. Then insert a toothpick or match into it and let the candies harden a little. The lollipops will harden best in a cold place, such as a refrigerator, for about half an hour. Step 3: Serve the finished caramel candies.
We take the finished lollipops out of the molds and serve them as sweets after lunch or dinner. Adults will be happy to remember the taste of childhood, and children will be happy with a simply delicious and funny candy. Bon appetit! Instead of vinegar, you can use citric acid (on the tip of a knife). These ingredients are needed to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Be careful when calculating the proportion; if you add too much vinegar or acid, the candy will be too soft, or may not harden at all.
To make the lollipops easier to get out, warm it slightly on the stove before opening the mold.
You can change the color of the candy with food coloring and the flavor with spices such as cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg or ground ginger.
You can check the readiness of the caramel using water. If a drop of caramel turns into a hard, non-stick ball in water, it means it’s ready.
If you don’t have molds for lollipops, it doesn’t matter - you can use regular tablespoons. The principle of operation is the same - grease with vegetable oil, pour in caramel, insert a toothpick and give time to harden.
“It’s good to wander around the world with caramel on your cheek. And take another one for a friend in your pocket as a reserve..." - I remember the children's song Funtik from the old Soviet cartoon, when you unwrap the caramel candy wrapper.
Caramel(from French caramel, from Late Latin cannamella - sugar cane) is a confectionery product made from a mass that is obtained by heating sugar or boiling a sugar solution (caramelization).
Caramels, a favorite since childhood, are a popular and affordable delicacy, both in terms of price and variety. You can't imagine sweet New Year's gifts without caramel candies, it is rare that a grandmother will not give her beloved grandchildren a handful of candies. All this is the taste of childhood, nostalgia, which is why caramel candies still remain at the peak of their fame.
However, can they always be safe for human health? How to choose quality caramel candies?
All caramels can be divided into 2 groups:
- lollipops. They are made entirely from caramel mass. They can take the form of dragees (monpensiers), lollipops, wrapped lollipops (either single or packaged in several pieces). They can be vitamin and medicinal (cough lozenges, sore throat lozenges), while the necessary ingredients and additives (herbal extracts, propolis, pollen, etc.) are added to the sugar mass.
- caramels with filling. Caramel mass and filler are used.
Quality caramel candies are creamy, creamy white or light brown (due to the cocoa powder they contain) in color. If the caramel has too bright colors (red, orange, blue), artificial colors and flavors were added during production, some of which may pose a health hazard.
An equally important parameter for the quality of caramel is the filling.
According to the type of filling, caramel candies can be divided into the following groups:
Caramel with fruit and berry filling.
Caramel with fondant filling,
Caramel candies with chocolate filling,
Caramel with butter and sugar filling,
Caramels with nut, halvicha fillings, praline,
Caramel candies with jelly filling,
Caramel with liqueur filling.
The safest fruit and berry filling is the one that gets into the candies in the form of puree. It is dark colored and has a semi-liquid structure. This fruit and berry puree is prepared from apples, plums, and apricots.
Fillings made from marzipan and chocolate and nut mass are also considered safe. They can be given to children without fear.
Any dairy fillings are made from refractory fat, which is not completely digested in the human body. Therefore, it can be harmful to health. Fillings with refreshing properties are no less dangerous. They contain the chemical menthol, one of the most harmful flavorings.
Caramel candies by location and number of fillings may be:
With one filling
With double filling,
With several fillings
With a filling that alternates layers of caramel mass.
Caramel candies also differ in the method of surface treatment:
Glossy. A thin layer of wax, fat or talc is applied to the surface of the caramel;
Glazed. The candy is covered with a thin layer of chocolate mass;
Sprinkled. The top layer of such caramel consists of granulated sugar or powder mixed with cocoa powder;
Dried. The surface of the candy is doused with hot sugar syrup, then sprinkled with a mixture of granulated sugar and cocoa powder or powdered sugar, and glossed.
General rules for choosing caramel candies
1. When buying candy, you should definitely pay attention to the expiration date. Regular caramel candies can be stored for no more than one year.
2. If, when unwrapping the candy wrapper, it was discovered that the sweetness has flowed or has a wet surface, it is better to refuse such caramel. A damp surface is a good environment for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.
3. You should not eat candy if the filling tastes like burnt puree.
4. The surface of the caramel candy should be smooth, and the filling should not bleed through the seams.
By choosing high-quality caramel candies, you can not only enjoy the taste of your favorite delicacy, but also protect yourself and your family from the effects of low-quality products on your body.
The history of the creation of the first caramel dates back to ancient times, when people discovered sugar cane and tried to fry it over a fire. What they got as a result was vaguely reminiscent of a modern one. By melting sugar, confectioners obtain a delicious syrup, which, after cooling, turns into hardened candies. These Leninists are brittle and very sweet, and by diluting the liquid with fruit juices, cooks make caramels with different flavors.
Later, confectioners began to add crushed nuts to the caramel mass and a new type of candy appeared in production - roasted nuts. Interestingly, one of the varieties of caramel - plastic - is used to decorate other delicacies, such as cakes, pastries or ice cream. So, history dates back to ancient times. The hard type of caramel is necessary for making sweets, as well as decorations for cakes or original bouquets of flowers.
Benefits of caramel sweets
Caramel has found its adherents among all age groups and has become one of the most popular sweets of all time due to its benefits such as:- are light in weight - you can simply carry them with you in your bag or backpack for a quick snack;
- reliable wrapper - you can take it with you on any trip, the candies are protected from the external environment or dust;
- The combination of compact size and bright design will make a good gift for children or a mini-present for a colleague.
