Do you know you can make your freeze dried candy at home with some simple recipes? Freeze dried candy is a delicious snack that could spice up the time spent watching TV or doing something fun. You can save cost and incorporate your desirable flavor by simply making your own candy. In this article, we will teach you how to make your candy at your own convenience.
What is Freeze-Dried Candy?
This is a crunchy, delicious candy which you make using your freeze dryer. This machine will remove any moisture found in your candy but ensures that its flavor remains. After the moisture has been stripped out, you get a light, crunchy candy. Examples of freeze-dried candies are taffy and Skittles.
Steps on How To Make Freeze Dried candy?
With the crunchy and sweet taste of freeze dried candy, you would always want to have more. One interesting thing about this candy is that it is very easy to make. All you just need is the right tools and recipes, voila! Your candy is here.
1. Get your tools ready
Before you start freeze drying your candy, you should ensure all your tools are ready. These include your freeze dryer, parchment paper, candy thermometer, and vacuum sealer.
- Freeze dryer: This is the brain behind your freeze dried candy. A freeze dryer uses a vacuum chamber and very low temperature to strip out moisture from food.
- Parchment paper: To prevent getting everywhere messed up, you should use a parchment paper to line the tray of your freeze dryer. Also, this paper makes it easy to clean up as you just need to remove them from the tray.
- Candy thermometer: This is important when you need to monitor the consistency of the temperature. Although this tool is important, you may need it if you are making your freeze dried candy for the first time.
- Vacuum Sealer: A vacuum sealer helps you to store your already made candy. It keeps your candy crispy and tasteful. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can use an airtight storage. This also prevents moisture and air from getting in.
2. Choose the Best Types of Candies for the Process
The quality of your freeze dried candy depends on the type of candy you use. Some candies don’t give good results when you freeze dry them. You can use these popular options like Skittles, Gummy bears, Taffy, and Marshmallows. Skittles become crunchy and light after freeze drying.
Gummy bears give you a wonderful result after freeze drying, they become so crispy and intensely flavorful. The end result of Taffy after freeze drying is a tasteful and flavorful candy. You get a lighter and crispier candy after freeze drying marshmallows.
If you are freeze drying for the first time you can try out any of these candies.
3. Prepare your Candy
Yes! You need to prepare your candy for the freeze drying process. Ensure you remove all wrappers from your candy. The candy has to go into the freeze dryer in its naked form.
If your candy is big, you will need to cut them into smaller portions. This aids the removal of moisture. When arranging your candies on trays in your freeze dryer, ensure you space them. There should be spacing between each candy piece. Otherwise, the candy won’t dry up evenly. Also, ensure you use parchment paper to line your trays before freeze drying. This will also help you clean up residues easily.
4. Load your Freeze Dryer
This is the ultimate aspect. Ensure your freeze dryer is in a good working condition. Switch in the freeze dryer before you place your candies, this helps to regulate the temperature and begin the freeze drying cycle.
After this, put the trays lined with candies in your machine and seal up the vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber is responsible for extracting moisture from your candy.
5. Freeze Drying Process
Your freeze dryer does the ultimate job and gets you a crunchy freeze dried candy. However, you need to play your own part.
Set the drying cycle: Candies freeze dry completely between 24 to 35 hours. However, this depends on the moisture content, size and type of candy you are using. You many need to adjust your freeze dryer or stick work with the automatic settings.
- Check out pressure and temperature
These are important parameters that determine the result you get. When properly controlled, you will get crunchy and flavorful candies. Although your freeze dryer regulates these parameters, you need to check occasionally. Check the display to be sure everything is working well. Your candy thermometer will be handy in this step as it helps you check the temperature of the internal candy.
- Cool-down
Your freeze dryer will need to cool down after it has completed the drying cycle. The cooling phase gets the candy ready for processing. You have to be very patient with this process to get the best result.
6. Post-Processing
In this step you need to assess the quality of your candy in terms of its crunchiness and flavor. Pick a piece of your already freeze dried candy and taste. Your candy should be very dry and crunchy without any soft spots. Otherwise, you have to put it back in your machine for a few hours.
After this, take the tray out and let it be at room temperature for a while. This process prevents moisture from accumulating in the candy again.
7. Store your Candy
It is important you store your freeze dried candy properly to avoid moisture and air from getting through. You can use vacuum sealed containers, mylar bags, and mason jars to store these candies. Vacuum sealed containers are great at extending the shelf life of your candies. Mylar bags are very airtight as they absorb oxygen and keep your candy dry as long as possible. Mason jars are also a great option, but they are only ideal for short-term storage.
The shelf life of your candy also depends on the type of storage you use. Do not expose your candy to moisture and sunlight.
Conclusion
Making free dried candy from the comfort of your home is a rewarding and very interesting process, which transforms your daily treats into snacks that are flavorful and crispy. Using the best tools, and working with the best preparation ads well as storage practices, you will surely enjoy great and satisfying treats. Work with the steps above and enjoy your unique creations of freeze dried candies.
More resources:
Candy Making Machine – Source: CAPSULEFILLER
Small Scale Candy Making Equipment – Source: CAPSULEFILLER
