Smile Candy

The History of Cotton (bulk vending) Candy

By Roberto Garabell

 Many people assume cotton candy hasn’t been around for that long. After all, the modern mechanical methods for producing cotton candy make it seem like an impossible feat to achieve in older and less technical societies. This is, however, not the case as cotton candy has actually been in existence for nearly 600 years now.

Sugar confectioneries are what make candy possible. Refined sugar is an essential ingredient in candy making and there is evidence to indicate that sugar confectioneries existed in ancient Egypt. The true modern candy-making though only emerged in the 4th century. For most of its history, candy has been a rare and occasional treat, and one only available to the wealthy and privileged members of society.

While the first cotton candy machine was not built until the late 1800s, a very similar candy was very popular in Italy during the 1400s. The pre-mechanical process for making cotton candy was completed by melting sugar in a pan. Through manual means the candy-maker would then use a fork to wrap tiny strands of sugar around the outside of an upside down bowl or other base to create a web of spun sugar candy. This spun sugar is a not so distant relative of modern cotton candy and was very similar in appearance, texture and taste.

Spun sugar candies were common in many places during the 15th through 17th centuries. The methods of making them varied slightly, depending on location and time period but the candy that resulted was fairly similar. These various candy-making operations required a great deal of skill, time and dedication though. This made it unlikely that the average person was ever exposed to spun sugar candy and indeed, only the rich and privileged were able to enjoy these treats.

That would change in the late 1800s, when candy-makers John C. Wharton and William Morrison created the first spun sugar candy machine. In 1897, they introduced a mechanical candy-maker that was able to melt sugar, combine it with colors and flavorings, and easily wrap fine strands of spun sugar around a paper or cardboard cone. The invention revolutionized the candy industry, making it possible for the first time for the average person to easily and inexpensively enjoy spun sugar.

Many social historians credit the Paris Exposition in 1900 as the world premier of cotton candy, though at the time it was still known as spun sugar candy or fairy floss. In 1904, Wharton and Morrison sold cotton candy at the St. Louis World Fair, and this event is credited with the introduction of America to this sugary treat.

At The Fair, Wharton and Morrison sold boxes of fairy floss for 25 cents each. This was a fairly steep price in 1904 and actually the equivalent of half the admission cost for attending The Fair itself. In spite of the expense, the candy makers actually made a whopping $17,163.75 during The Fair, selling 68,655 boxes of fair floss.

Within one year of its presence at The World Fair, at least one candy shop had purchased a machine from Wharton and Morrison. The shop was able to charge five to 10 cents a box for fairy floss candy at a time when something at this price was still considered a luxurious purchase.

Still monikered as fairy floss or spun candy until the 1920s, the confection would become known as cotton candy in the United States. This name truly stuck and in most places throughout the world today, it is still in common use. There are still a few remaining regional and national alternative names used for the concoction though. For instance, in the United Kingdom it is known as candy floss, and in a few other areas of the world it is still referred to as fairy floss.

Advancements in the machinery used to produce cotton candy were made in the 1940s. Event though the mechanical processes for its creation were bettered in the 1940s, it was still an item that was only produced in small quantities. Most commonly, it was sold at circuses, ball parks, carnivals, and other similar social events.

Still further advancements arrived in the 1970s when the automatic cotton candy machine was created. With automation came the capability of mass production. The 1972-version of the cotton candy machine allowed for efficient, automatic production and packaging of cotton candy, leading to the mass production and ready availability of the treat with which we are all familiar today.

You will find a variety of concession stand and home theater equipment at Kano Korn Concession Equipment, everything from a popcorn machine and more. Visit online today.

Ways for Cake Decorators to Roll, Cut, Mold, and Dry Gum paste

By Tambi Zara

 To Roll Out: Gumpaste may be rolled very thin (about 1/16th of an inch thick) onto a smooth surface and after that used as a cake covering, just for instance fondant. Remember, roll out one little piece at a time to avoid drying, and cover up every petal and flower you produce with saran wrap.

Use a smooth work surface — Formica, marble, granite, stainless steel or glass.

At all times dust work surface, rolling pin and your hands with cornstarch when handling Gumpaste. Cake Decorators often grease their hands and the work surface gently with Crisco - especially while they are making very tiny and delicate flowers. They will not dry and crack not quite as soon.

Break off the quantity of gumpaste you need. Keep the balance under a glass or inside a plastic container. Knead the piece of gum paste with your fingers. Form into a ball roughly 1-1/2 inches inside diameter.

Roll out the gumpaste ball to about 1/2″ thickness. Pick up the piece, turn it over and give it a quarter turn on top of the work surface after all roll. Repeat this process 2 or 3 times till the gumpaste is about 1/16″ thick.

Some decorators will often use a pasta roller to help produce very thin sheets of Gumpaste, Satin Ice Rolled Fondant and even Candy Clay. Use at the largest setting so your Gum paste can roll though easily, while making contact with the rollers. Before each pass of the dough, change to rollers to the setting to make is obtained. rollers can be cleaned using cloth followed with a light greasing of shortening using paper towel. Soft mixtures may need to be dusted with cornstarch with a a good brush.

To Cut into Forms: Following rolling Gumpaste, it may be cut into shapes freehand using knife or with cookie cutters. Lay pieces on top of a non-stick surface like wax paper to dry. You can shape them by laying them over a paper towel roll, covered inside wax paper, or inside a cupcake liner to dry.

To Mold: Gum paste may be molded. Dust the mold first with powdered sugar, cornstarch or a light coating of vegetable oil so it unmolds with no trouble. If molding a flat shape, for instance a plate, furthermore you can cover the mold with waxed paper.

To Harden: Formed Gum paste shapes work best when decorated on after drying. Drying times of several days to a week are ordinary depending upon the thickness.

To dry, you can put the formed Gumpaste piece onto waxed paper and change it cautiously once a day to make sure even drying. But, don’t put Gum paste inside an low temperature oven to dry! While placing pieces near a heat source, for instance an oven light, may hasten drying, the oven itself won’t work. You could also place pieces in front of a fan, especially if it is muggy outside. To speed drying, you can lay it on top of pieces of Styrofoam which allows air to circulate on both sides. (Sprinkle your foam square with cornstarch and work it inside with your fingers. Then, lay the shape on the foam).

This concludes this chaper of working with gumpaste. For more information on cake decorating supplies, please go to our internet site.

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Friday, June 4th, 2010 at 2:10 am and is filed under candy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.