Needing some confection help

[DocsMapleSyrup]

I got both a maple cream and maple molded candy machine built finally but have some questions

The cream machine I've used 3 times and have had cream set up in the vertical pipe 2 of the 3 times. I've been waiting until the cream has totally turned pale and is thoroughly mixed. Can I start to fill jars when the cream is mostly mixed but has a few streaks in the cream? Will it set up ok if I do that? I've been doing 1 gallon batches.

The candy machine I did a 1/2 gallon batch. Invert sugar 1.4. Heated to 34 above boiling point of water. Let it cool in the pig to 219 as the Cornell Confections notebook said it didn't matter much with a candy machine how cool the syrup was prior to starting the screw in the trough. I ended up getting hard candy in the trough and plugged the opening. I was able to thin it with misting water and a knife, but it ended up hardening in the trough and the candy I did get into molds was quite grainy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I might be able to help with the candy. The cooler your syrup when you start to stir, the smoother (less grainy) your candy. Also, the faster you cool, the less grainy. I cool mine in a cold water bath to just under 200 degrees. When you start to stir your candy in the trough, start to run the candy into molds at the first hint of a streak of color.

[DocsMapleSyrup]

Thank you for the info. I should be pouring much earlier and cooling the syrup to a lower temp. Any other comments from anyone?

[Sugarmaker]

Chad,
I think these are the new machines you just built right?
Good suggestion above about cooling and starting the candy flow soon. I usually cool to near 200F and start the flow of candy before it looks ready. about 8 candies are soft then it firms up. Also keep hot syrup coming in to the trough to warm the candy flow. I have sued hot mist from a spray bottle to help keep the candy soft and flowing.

On the cream machne: This is one of the toughest products to make BTW! I thought you might have some problems in the stainless pips which are not much different that others. I have solidified it in the tube too. I have heard some folks say that having hot syrup to add to the mix and thinning it out can help this.
Couple things here also. Try lowering the temp of the boiled syrup. It wont set up as fast in the machine. You might have to used good cream as seed.
Also what is the temp of the syrup going in to the cream machine?
Always a tricky product for me to make too. Not sure there is much magic here. Lots of little details, much practice and some luck.
Regards,
Chris

[n8hutch]

I got both a maple cream and maple molded candy machine built finally but have some questions

The cream machine I've used 3 times and have had cream set up in the vertical pipe 2 of the 3 times. I've been waiting until the cream has totally turned pale and is thoroughly mixed. Can I start to fill jars when the cream is mostly mixed but has a few streaks in the cream? Will it set up ok if I do that? I've been doing 1 gallon batches.

The candy machine I did a 1/2 gallon batch. Invert sugar 1.4. Heated to 34 above boiling point of water. Let it cool in the pig to 219 as the Cornell Confections notebook said it didn't matter much with a candy machine how cool the syrup was prior to starting the screw in the trough. I ended up getting hard candy in the trough and plugged the opening. I was able to thin it with misting water and a knife, but it ended up hardening in the trough and the candy I did get into molds was quite grainy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

What kind of thermometer are you using? I have found that temperature is huge when it comes to these products, . The better temp control you have the better results I think you will have, I have a long stem digital thermometer that reads in tenths of a degree, I can set it so it is suspended in the syrup and not touching the pan. I always pull it off 1 degree early because the temp tends to climb a little as you take the heat off.

I have been experimenting with cream for awhile in a kitchen aid mixer and have found that the temp I heat and cool to greatly effects the time i have to work the cream.good luck.

[maple2]

we cook our syrup to 245. Let it cool??? We start the machine as soon as it stops boiling. The hotter the syrup, the more spins the auger has to make, the lighter the candy. Took 2nd place in Quebec this year

[Sugarmaker]

I have seen others start with very hot syrup and get good candy too.
Regards,
Chris

[SeanD]

Count me in for skipping the cooling step on candy. I boil right in the pig, put it on the machine and go. Ten seconds into starting the auger and I should be pouring. If I wait until I see a color change, I'm in trouble. Worst case scenario, I have 2-3 pieces that weren't ready and stay a taffy. It beats the alternative of setting up in the trough and you can't get it out fast enough.

Every time I doubt myself and go a little longer, it's setting up before it hits the mold and I'm trying to chase it out with more hot syrup. Then I can't get it out fast enough, then even more is setting up in the trough, which is right about the time a dab of candy on the counter sticks to the bottom of the tray the molds are on and I can't slide it fast enough which overfills pieces and then by this point the trough is starting to get too full...

Making candy is sometimes 90 minutes of relaxing boiling followed by 15 minutes of white-knuckled stress. My advice would be to keep the initial amount of syrup in the trough to a small amount - I'm guessing a couple of centimeters. Then you have room to get hot syrup going in while you focus on the pour. A second person watching the trough is a bonus, but I usually use the second person to move the trays of molds away after I fill them. Once I get the right speed of hot syrup going in and candy coming out, I leave it open and move the molds quickly underneath rather than opening and closing it 150 times. I only shut the gate between trays. Every messed up piece and the extra dribbles between molds goes right back into the next batch. The beauty of making candy is nothing gets wasted. It all goes into the next batch.

Chad, you probably aren't doing anything wrong. You just need more practice to get your own thing going. By your third or fourth batch, you'll have it pretty much down.

Sean

[SeanD]

Correction: I actually boil syrup for candy in a pot and pour into the pig. It's when I make cream that I boil right in the pig.

[DocsMapleSyrup]

Sugarmaker:[QUOTE]I think these are the new machines you just built right?/QUOTE]
Yes these are the ones I made.
[QUOTE]Also what is the temp of the syrup going in to the cream machine?/QUOTE]
I've made 3 batches of cream and cooled to 68,46,and 68 degrees respectively. All 3 batches were super smooth but the last batch was thicker.

n8hutch:[QUOTE]What kind of thermometer are you using?/QUOTE]
I use a digital thermoworks that shows tenths of degrees.

maple2 & SeanD:
I've read and have been told that cooling the syrup to lower temps allows you to make smoother feeling candy, but if I can make smooth feeling candy right off the stove, I'm in. I think it would help with getting it into the molds. Also, thanks for the input about pouring very early, that should help.

Has anyone started filling jars with cream while there is still some streaking in the cream? Will it set up ok?

[S.S.S]

From my experience this past year making cream, the syrup needs to be cooled down fast as possible to a temp right around 50 degrees, and making very sure while that syrup is cooling that you are not disturbing it. And you will have made some great smooth cream.

[Moser's Maple]

Grain texture is the direct result of point of agitation. Higher temp agitation= larger sugar crystal/ larger grain feeling to the tongue. Lower temp agitation= smaller sugar crystal/ less grain feel to the tongue.
This is why cream is so smooth to the pallet. Low stir temp=small sugar crystal...smooth texture to the pallet.

[DocsMapleSyrup]

[QUOTE]Grain texture is the direct result of point of agitation. Higher temp agitation= larger sugar crystal/ larger grain feeling to the tongue. Lower temp agitation= smaller sugar crystal/ less grain feel to the tongue. This is why cream is so smooth to the pallet. Low stir temp=small sugar crystal...smooth texture to the pallet.[QUOTE]

So is it possible to get a gallon of cooled taffy, into candy molds, with a screw type candy machine, so it has the mouth feel of maple cream but firm?

[Moser's Maple]

[QUOTE][QUOTE]

So is it possible to get a gallon of cooled taffy, into candy molds, with a screw type candy machine, so it has the mouth feel of maple cream but firm?
Very difficult

[Sugarmaker]

I did see Steve Childs attempt to make candy in batch mode during LEME event. Unfortunately the syrup did not cooperate. He said it does work and makes smooth fondant type candies, that melt in your mouth. He was using a vacuum method to rapidly cool the cooked syrup.
Regards,
Chris