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Step 7Troubleshooting Your Candy
Sometimes, things go wrong. If your candies fail (thin-skinned, thick skinned, lack durability) check this list to get some help. There is an art to making candies like this, and each different liquor you try might need a bit of tweaking to get just right. Don't fear a failure or two, though - sugar is cheap!
Problem: Weak bottoms.
Flip sooner - If the "bottom" side of the candy is thin or weak, that means they the "flip" step came too late. Flip the candies after less time has passed.
Problem: Thin skins, weak candies.
A thin sugar shell is caused by under-crystallization, which can stem from several factors:
Too much water in syrup - cook the syrup to a higher temperature. Aim to increase the temperature by two or three degrees each time, so that you don't overdo it and end up with a solid block. Alternatively, you can add less liquor, or liquor of a higher proof.
Too much acidity - Acidic flavorings "invert" the sugar, breaking it into a molecule of glucose and a molecule of fructose. This inhibits crystallization, so you should avoid using flavorings that are acidic.
Not enough time - Let the candies sit for another 24 hours. Some liquors seem to require this step, but I can't figure out why. Captain Morgan Parrot Bay rum, for instance, produces candies that are soft and squishy after one day, but perfectly fine after two.
Problem: Candies begin to degrade after removing them from the starch.
Check the humidity - Humidity is the candymaker's worst enemy. Here where I live, the humidity is already reaching the level where it can disintegrate a batch of candies. I think the key here is to carefully limit exposure to the air. Get the chocolate in temper, and remove the candies one-by-one with a fork, de-starching them as best as you can and plopping them straight into the chocolate.
Problem: Skin too thick/candies almost solid.
Thick skins are caused by overcrystallization of the syrup.
Not enough water in syrup - Cook the syrup to a lower temperature.
Sugar syrup cooked improperly - Once the syrup has reached its desired temperature, be sure to avoid stirring or other excessive agitation. If there are crystals on the sides of the pot, that can prematurely seed your solution and cause it to crystallize.
Problem: Chocolate untempered.
Chocolate tempering is an issue all by itself. Until I can put an Instructable up about tempering chocolate, I'd recommend these fine resources:
Tempering Chocolate on Cooking for Engineers
Tempering Chocolate on Chow.com (video)
Problem: Weak bottoms.
Flip sooner - If the "bottom" side of the candy is thin or weak, that means they the "flip" step came too late. Flip the candies after less time has passed.
Problem: Thin skins, weak candies.
A thin sugar shell is caused by under-crystallization, which can stem from several factors:
Too much water in syrup - cook the syrup to a higher temperature. Aim to increase the temperature by two or three degrees each time, so that you don't overdo it and end up with a solid block. Alternatively, you can add less liquor, or liquor of a higher proof.
Too much acidity - Acidic flavorings "invert" the sugar, breaking it into a molecule of glucose and a molecule of fructose. This inhibits crystallization, so you should avoid using flavorings that are acidic.
Not enough time - Let the candies sit for another 24 hours. Some liquors seem to require this step, but I can't figure out why. Captain Morgan Parrot Bay rum, for instance, produces candies that are soft and squishy after one day, but perfectly fine after two.
Problem: Candies begin to degrade after removing them from the starch.
Check the humidity - Humidity is the candymaker's worst enemy. Here where I live, the humidity is already reaching the level where it can disintegrate a batch of candies. I think the key here is to carefully limit exposure to the air. Get the chocolate in temper, and remove the candies one-by-one with a fork, de-starching them as best as you can and plopping them straight into the chocolate.
Problem: Skin too thick/candies almost solid.
Thick skins are caused by overcrystallization of the syrup.
Not enough water in syrup - Cook the syrup to a lower temperature.
Sugar syrup cooked improperly - Once the syrup has reached its desired temperature, be sure to avoid stirring or other excessive agitation. If there are crystals on the sides of the pot, that can prematurely seed your solution and cause it to crystallize.
Problem: Chocolate untempered.
Chocolate tempering is an issue all by itself. Until I can put an Instructable up about tempering chocolate, I'd recommend these fine resources:
Tempering Chocolate on Cooking for Engineers
Tempering Chocolate on Chow.com (video)
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haha! great instructable! but i was wondering if the same can be done with chocolate molds and if its possible to completely omit the starch bit.... to make shells out of chocolate n then coat it with chocolate on the top after there is a thin sheet on crystallized sugar on top as u say!