The best part of going to any outdoor event is getting to indulge in candy floss. Going to the fun fair, visiting stalls by the river on a sunny day, going to the circus or a summer regatta – they’re all fun events, but made even more pleasurable by the permission to gobble the soft, cotton-like sugary treat without judgement. Of course little ones loves candy floss, that’s evident by the sticky halos left around their mouths every time they visit a fun fair, not to mention the sugar high they’re left with that clearly lets us know when they’ve been on the soft stuff. But it’s not just the kids who love to scoff down the treat. Adults alike love candy floss for the sugary taste, the melt-in-the-mouth texture and of course the nostalgic memories that come with it. Well with our recipe you won’t have to wait for the fun fair to come to town if you want to snack on the fluffy sweet. The quick recipe uses simple ingredients that you can get from the supermarket and our recipe even works for those households who don’t own a candy floss machine (because who does?) It does take a little bit of commitment to get to the end result though, so we wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to share this one with the kids! If you do well at this recipe, try our other ideas for homemade chocolates and sweets – you’ll love them!
Ingredients
- 800g sugar
- 240ml corn syrup
- 240ml water
- ¼tsp salt
- 1 tsp raspberry extract (or any flavor you like)
- 2 drops pink (or any color) food coloring (optional)
- You will also need:
- A 'decapitated’ whisk - see the tip
Method
Cover 8 cardboard paper-towel tubes with parchment. Set aside. With a damp pastry brush, wipe down the sides of the pan to prevent stray sugar crystals from forming.
In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Stir until the sugar is melted.
Clip on a candy thermometer, stop stirring, and heat to 320°F (160°C). Pour the molten liquid into a shallow heatproof container. Add the extract and food coloring (if using) and stir well.
Line your work table with parchment. I also spread parchment on the floor around the table to catch any stray bits of flying sugar.
Dip your decapitated whisk into the sugar syrup and hold it over the pot to let the sugar drip back into container for a second. Holding the whisk a foot (30 cm) above the parchment, swing the whisk back and forth so that thin strands of sugar fall on the paper. Repeat this a few more times until you have a nice nest of spun sugar.
Top tip for making Candy floss
To make a decapitated whisk, snip the tines at the end of a wire whisk with a wire cutter so you have straight metal branches
