Maple Cream trouble

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

I made maple cream about a week ago. Over the last few days, I have noticed that it is getting more granulated sugar in it, and today, I noticed it was separating into syrup on the bottom of the container. What could I do better to make this not happen, and is there a better way to make sure it doesn't happen?
Maybe I did something wrong, while making the cream?
I brought 3/4 of a pint of syrup up to about 235 degrees, and took it off the stove, transferred to my mixing pot. I then put a few ice cubes in the sink, and set the pot on that, because I've heard of chilling it while mixing. I used an electric hand held mixer for mixing, and mixed until it was the right cream color, and it was thickenought not to all fall off the beaters at once. After that, I transfered it into some sort of plastic tuper-warecontainer,andput a lid on. Then put it in the fridge.
I hope this will help me get to the bottom of my problem.
thanks in advance for comments. :confused:

[Bruce L]

Transferring to the mixing pot is what got my attention,you shouldn't stir or jiggle the syrup until after it cools,may have started your granules there.I boil mine to 232 usually,then cover the syrup with a piece of cloth or filter paper that touches the syrup,so the granules that form while cooling can adhere to the cover,then once down to about 100 degrees,stir until you get the color and consistency you like.Try this on a batch and let me know if it helps

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

So also, I should let it cool down before I begin to mix. thanks for the advice.
P.S. My sugar crystals and separation happened after a few days too, so maybe this will help alot more, if i get it where i want it for a little more long term storage.

[ClarkFarmMapleSyrup]

I tried again. boiled until about 230-233. Brought boiled hot syrup into house, because boiling in the garage is cold! Then let cool over a little ice, and then in fridge until about 107 or so. Then used beaters, and stirred. I think I might have stirred or hesitated alittle to long before putting it in the cream jar, because it got real thick at the last spoon full going into the jar. It is a sealed jar, so Ill wait till next weekend to check it out, and see if it separated.

[Father & Son]

One other thing could be the speed you are running your mixer. The old paddle style cream machines ran about 40 cycles per minute. I run my Kitchenaid on the slowest setting. Cream in small batches is tricky. Humidity the day you make it sometimes dictates the outcome. The invert sugar levels also play a major roll. That's a whole nuther topic.

Jim

[Dennis H.]

You may still get a little liquid syrup to form on top over time, that is ok. You can stir that back into the cream.

I have been told to let the syrup cool down to room temp or even cooler to make cream.
You do not want to stir or agitate the syrup in anyway till it gets down to the correct temp.

The nice thing about maple syrup is as long as you didn't burn the syrup in anyway just add some water and start over again.

I did this the 1st time making maple candy, stirred to long and ended up with a huge chunk of sugar. Added some water and started over again.

[Randy Brutkoski]

I let the syrup get to 234.5 degrees. And then as fast as i can get it into the freezer. I keep it in the freezer for 3 hours, then get it to room temp, and then stir in my cream machine. The 2 important things are getting to temp. and then cooling it down as fast as possible. I have made 200, 1/2 lb. tubs in the last 2 weeks and it has turned out great every time.

[RUSTYBUCKET]

Randy -

How much are you making at a time ?? Would your process work on any batch size??

Thanks

- Russ

[Randy Brutkoski]

My batches are between 15 to 20,, 1/2 lb. containers.

[WMF]

Maple cream that separates back to syrup on the bottom of the container has had air whipped into it and it wont weigh up properly in standard size jars. This is from using a kitchen type mixer which is too fast. Not a problem for your own use but not good if you are selling it.

[danno]

I'm thinking you got syrup seperation because either you did not bring it to room temp BEFORE mixing and may not have mixed long enough. Also, if you get it up to temp and then back down to room temp, unless you have a serious mixer (kitchen aid), cream will smoke the motor on a regular household mixer. I use my drill press with a sheet rock paddle - this works pretty good, but make sure the bowl is strapped down tight. Seeding the cream speeds up the process considerably. If the cream begins to stiffen before you can get it all packaged, mirowave the cream for 5-10 seconds and it will soften it enough to resume bottling.

[Dave Y]

When I make cream I bring it to 24 -26 degs above the point of boiling water. I cool it to minimum of 55degs. I don't bring it back to room temp. I start to stir right away. The syrup will warm as you stir. i takes about 20 mins to come to cream . It is very smooth cream little to no crystals at all. two things that will help keep crystals from forming. 1 .put your thermometer in the syrup and leave it in. pulling in and out of the syrup will cause crystals to form. 2. spray a lite mist of cold water on the syrup.It will form a very thin layer of low denisty syrup. where crystals cant form. Look in the New York confections book they explain making cream in the book very well.

[maplwrks]

One thing to remember---all cream seperates. The reason for premature separation is the under cooking or under stirring of the syrup. I do as Dave does and put a little film of water on top of my cream to prevent crystals. Something else that works is laying a piece nof plastic wrap right on the syrup preventing air from getting to it. I have made a lot of cream at the Big E, but with a gear pump style machine, crystals don't usually make it though that machine.

[ToadHill]

Here's a link that has all of the Cornell bulletins on making cream, candy, etc. including testing for invert sugars. These are the best references available on these subjects.

http://www.nnyagdev.org/_maple.htm