For a special holiday treat, make your own cotton candy. It will end up being the hit desert item at any party or get together. Because its winter, a time you don’t usually find cotton candy, and because it is something not often found homemade, it will make a great fun treat for everyone. The holidays are also a very nostalgic time of year, which is something that cotton candy also brings about.
There are several affordable cotton candy machines that will get you the best results.
Above is a well made cotton candy machine that break down into several parts for easy cleaning. The bowl is also clear, so that way you can actually see the cotton candy being formed.
This is also another version of that cotton candy maker with much of the same features, but just has a sleeker, more old-fashioned look to it.
Tagged: how to make cotton candy
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Cotton could simply be described as evaporated sugar solution supplemented with food coloring which could either be fruit-based, vegetable based or artificial. Needless to say, favorite though it might be for most of the people around the world it is an empty calorie-rich snack with minimal nutritional value. However, people who know how to make cotton candy at home have it in their power to modify the recipe a bit without compromising on the taste so that the outcome is healthier and hence can be had frequently without any compunctions.
Popularly nicknamed as ‘candy with a conscience’, organic cotton candy
is prepared from raw materials which have been grown without pesticides or genetically modified organisms and is completely bereft of cholesterol, trans fat, chemicals, synthetic flavors and coloring agents. Some of the favorite concoctions in this regard the world over are maple, licorice, cinnamon and root beer and apart from being healthy a few of them have been known to be extremely effective against hiccups.
The need to go organic in case of cotton candy was felt during the recent years because thanks to the technological advancement in food science, this product was being laced with a number of artificial colors and flavors. Back in the olden days, how to make cotton candy was a process characterized by spinning the purest floss and flavoring it with natural substances because of which its quality was not compromised on. But today, achieving the same standards entails replacing refined sugar with unrefined and evaporated cane juice and using natural colors and flavors in keeping with today’s tastes and preferences.
There are many reasons which justify this switch to organic cotton candy, the foremost being the intention to avoid the over-exposure of the body to chemicals. The use of fertilizers, pesticides and metals for speeding up the growing process has become so common that their toxic affect and the resultant harm is often overlooked. Opting for organic goodies is one way of reducing exposure and benefits not just the consumer but the producer and the environment as well.
Another way of augmenting the health aspect of cotton candy is to minimize the use of colorings and additives. Ever since people learned how to make cotton candy, pink has been the universal favorite and in a bid to maintain this image, manufacturers often resort to dyes and chemicals, thus compromising on the quality in the process. Research has proved that this effect is particularly pronounced in case of children – while kids having a chemical enriched diet were shown as suffering from behavioral problems, those who grew up on a healthy diet did not exhibit such symptoms.
But who says organic cotton candy is not fun? In fact due to its healthy nature, it is more versatile than normal cotton candy since it can be used to garnish desserts and food like pancakes without any reservations. Topping up a cup of hot chocolate, coffee, tea or cocktail is one of best uses of this wispy cobweb like creation and it is a healthier substitute as compared to other varieties of junk food like popcorn too.
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Apart from castles and historical landmarks, if there is something which has endured through centuries it is none other than cotton candy. When people discovered how to make cotton candy in the 15th century, little did they know that this wispy cobweb like creation would outlive not just their generation but many following them as well.
Contrary to remaining limited to a particular region or country, over the years cotton candy has travelled around the world and is now a part of varied cultures and traditions. Children in different countries call it by different names but it is just their reflection on the same fluffy pink confectionary which provoked squeals of delight from children in the ancient era. Knowing what it is called in different countries is an interesting journey around the globe and traced as follows –
England – Having met with success in Europe, cotton candy crossed the sea to England and began to be referred as candy floss
over there. It did not make any difference to the method of making it as given the primitive equipment the hazards were very much the same.
Australia – When Australians refer to it as fairy floss, they are probably the most accurate in terms of history. In 1904 people learned how to make cotton candy with a machine and served the outcomes as fairy floss to the visitors at St. Louis Fair.
France – While buying cotton candy in France, the term used would have to be la barbe a papa, meaning daddy’s beard, owing to its fluffy and voluminous appearance.
Spain – Algodon de azucar is how it is described in Spanish and on being literally translated it means sugared cotton. The thin threads of cotton candy when spun do resemble cotton and hence such a name is indeed apt.
Italy – The Italians call it what is actually is, zucchero filato, meaning spun sugar.
Norway – Sukkerspinn is how cotton candy is referred to in Norwegian wherein sukker stands for sugar and spin is to indicate the amount of spinning involved in its preparation.
Turkey – The Turkish call it as pamuk helva with pamuk being cotton and helva being a sweet dish served in Asian countries.
Japan – Cotton candy travelled as far to the east as Japan as well and in Japanese it is known as wata-gashi. Like there is no difference in how to make cotton candy, there is no variation in its name also since wata is cotton and gashi refers to anything that is sweet.
Argentina – People in southern hemisphere have not been bereft of the pleasures of cotton candy as well and here it is known as Copo de Azucar or sugar flake.
Israel – Se’arot Savta, meaning Grandma’s hair, is what it is called in Hebrew the native dialect of Israel.
Belgium – Here it is expressed as Suikerspin, meaning sugar spider, once again referring to its sweetness and cobweb appearance.
Finland – Someone looking for cotton candy in this country would have to use the local term hattara and that is the local name of cotton candy.
Netherlands – Sugar in Dutch is suiker and spinning or turning is expressed as spin or spinnen. Therefore, cotton candy here is suikerspin.
South Africa – In Afrikaans, people call it ‘spook asem’ meaning ghost’s breath thus attributing to its wispy nature.
Czech – ‘Cukrova vata’ meaning sugar cotton wool is how it is called in this east European nation.
Thailand – Here the name is more of a reference to how to make cotton candy rather than the appearance and that is why it called ‘Sai Mai’ which means silk threads.
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It is since ages that people have known how to make cotton candy and apart from eager little hands stretching towards the maker to grab the sticky pink stuff, this fluffy dessert has graced many formal occasions as well much to the delight of elders. You need not be a kid to enjoy cotton candy – while it is true that it added to the quality of life during childhood and helped compile a whole lot of fond memories, its charm remains well into adulthood as well. Hence, what better way to celebrate a birthday or an anniversary than having cotton candy and being frivolous with it?
While nowadays, spinning cotton candy is just a matter of minutes thanks to the improvement brought about in the cotton candy machines through constant innovation and advancement, the situation was not always as pleasant. At the time of its invention way back in the 15th century, the process of how to make cotton candy was limited to a few expert chefs in Europe and had its share of hazards.
The tools which were used during that time were copper pots, wooden spoons, ladles and whisks and successful spinning depended on the maker’s adeptness and accurate timing. Although the job was difficult and probability of acquiring blisters was very high, credit goes to these early makers for epitomizing the art by creating masterpieces out of the floss and popularizing it to the point that it is alive and revered even today.
Then arrived the cotton cotton candy machine
and some of the earliest designs, in spite of being revolutionary in their era, were primitive and required plenty of maintenance and repair. These factors added to the cost of making cotton candy which is why it remained the privilege of the wealthy and out of reach for the other classes of society. It is only when new and improved designs were introduced that the cost came down and everyone could derive pleasure from having this sticky sweet confection. Thus the machine became the basic tool wherein how to make cotton candy was not just easy but cost effective enough to facilitate mass production as well.
Built on a rotor, a cotton candy machine consists of a bowl or a cup meant for containing sugar or food colorings and tits unique feature is that there are perforations on its sides. This container is supposed to rotate to cause the sugar to melt and hence is attached to the top of the rotor. Another attachment is the heating device which provides sufficient heat for the sugar to melt and once the sugar is melted it is ejected from the pores in form of wispy threads to form dense cobwebs.
As they solidify after being ejected, these threads are collected around a stick in layers till the desired size is achieved. Last but not the least is the exterior covering of this tool whose function is to counter the centrifugal force of the machine as this can break away the threads and interfere with efficient spinning.
Nowadays, the most common tool for making cotton candy is the cotton candy machine and all that is needed to spin a long and delicious thread is to learn how to make cotton candy.
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Amongst the various aspects of cotton candy, some are serious like how to make cotton candy while others are fun. Therefore while people should be serious while perfecting the art and technique of making candy, at the same time being aware of interesting snippets and sharing them with kids at the time of dishing out adds to the joy.
If you are one of those cotton candy makers who love to extract squeals of joy while doling it out, then including the following fun facts in your arsenal would surely come in handy –
- Cotton Candy is the simplest form of candy because it contains only one ingredient namely sugar. Preparation entails melting sugar in a container with tiny holes and spinning it at very high speed due to which thin long strings ensue from the holes and are stuffed into cups and cones for serving.
- When it made its first appearance in 1904, it was known as fairy floss and was later rechristened as candy floss in Britain and cotton candy in America. However, it is the Australians who deserve the credit of sticking to the original name and the fluffy pink stuff continues to be called fairy floss down under.
- There are several names which have been credited with the discovery of how to make cotton candy and out of the four who shot into prominence, two happened to be dentists who used to hand out cotton candy to their patients.
- The first time that cotton candy was introduced to people was in 1904 during the World Fair. It was sold in little wooden boxes for 25 cents and such was its popularity that at the end of the day the total revenue generated was $17,000 which surpassed the wildest dreams of the inventors themselves.
- December 7th is accredited as being the National Cotton Candy Day in America. How this day was finalized upon is still a mystery but its celebration centers not only around how to make cotton candy but how to have fun with it too.
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How to Make Cotton Candy
At the very mention of the name ‘Carnival’ a few things which come to mind instantly are caramel corn, hotdogs, magicians and of course cotton candy. Watching the cotton candy maker spin a tempting confection of wool and hand it over is one of the fondest memories of childhood and is something which everyone would enjoy doing today as well. This explains the whoops of joy and squeals of delight when these sweet, fluffy and colorful wisps are served at informal parties, birthdays or any of the other occasions and proves that learning how to make cotton candy is something which can come in handy any time and any place.
Most of us have witnessed cotton candy being prepared at a commercial scale at a fair or festival but this delicious and mouth-watering treat can be prepared at home as well. At home, to begin with, all the necessary ingredients and tools are first assembled after which the floor of the working area is covered with a plastic sheet to avoid creating a mess on it. Next the end of the whisk is cut and each strip of metal spaced out so that they are equidistant from each other.
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Irrespective of age or any other criteria, cotton candy has been the all time favorite of all generations since the time it was discovered. In this case the age-old philosophy of things which provide joy during the formative years remaining dear throughout the life holds true. A mom who must have enjoyed this treat as a youngster is more likely to learn how to make cotton candy and expect the same squeals of joy from her children when they lay eyes on the wispy pink stuff. Having acquired perfection, she would even love to serve it on every possible occasion as apart from rekindling her pleasant childhood memories it would give her joy on sharing it with her close friends.
Spinning cotton candy is just a matter of minutes today and this is a far cry from the reality of the 1400s’ when only expert chefs willing to sustain burns were the ones who were entrusted with the job of preparing it. One of the blessings of technological advancements is the constant evolution of the cotton candy machine which has rendered the process of how to make cotton candy not just simple but bereft of hazards as well.
Given the primitive times, the method of making cotton candy during the bygone era involved the use of rudimentary utensils which ruled the kitchens during that time namely copper pots, wooden spoons and a variety of ladles. Acquiring blisters was a part of the job which is why all credit goes to these chefs for having had the patience and fortitude to keep this dessert and its art alive for the forthcoming generations to enjoy.
Improvement in the situation came about when the cotton candy machine was introduced and although the early machines were cumbersome, difficult to handle and equally expensive to maintain, they laid the foundation for the machine as we know it today. This changed the entire profile of this sweet as courtesy of the arrival of better, affordable and user friendly machines it was no longer the privilege of the rich but could be had by anyone who knew how to make cotton candy.
There are many ways in which a cotton candy machine differs from a normal food processor gracing the kitchens – the container is perforated and there is also an in-built heating device. While the perforated container is mounted on top of the rotor and acts like a sieve for the threads to come out when the sugar is melted, the function of the heater is to facilitate melting of sugar when it is placed within the bowl. Ultimately, it is the threads ensuing from these holes which are rolled into a ball and served on a stick.
How many layers of threads should be there? This query does not have any definite answer and depends on how thick you want the cobweb to be while serving. An advantage here is that at least the maker need not worry about the threads breaking as the exterior covering on the machine nullifies the centrifugal pull and prevents the threads from falling apart.
Hence it is the cotton candy machine today which is the one and only tool required to spin wisps and thus mastering the art of how to make cotton candy only requires knowing how to operate this machine.
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