Cotton candy is a popular sweet treat found at fairgrounds, carnivals, and even some high-end restaurants. The fluffy, pinkish-white candy is made by spinning sugar into thin threads, wound around a stick or cone. While it might look like cotton candy is just sugar, several different ingredients contribute to its unique flavor and texture. The common ingredients incorporated in luxury cotton candy include:
1. Sugar
Sugar is the main ingredient in cotton candy and gives the sweet treat its signature flavor. When making cotton candy at home, it's essential to use granulated sugar instead of other types of sugar like raw sugar or brown sugar. This is because granulated sugar dissolves more quickly and will result in a smoother, fluffier final product.
2. Corn Syrup
Cotton candy makers often use corn syrup in cotton candy recipes to help keep the sugar from crystallizing. It's important to use light corn syrup rather than dark corn syrup as the dark variety can make the cotton candy too sticky.
3. Flavoring
While sugar is the main flavor in cotton candy, many commercial brands add artificial flavors to their recipes. This is done to create a more intense flavor that will appeal to kids (and adults!). Some typical flavors brands incorporate are strawberry, grape, blueberry, and raspberry.
4. Coloring
Cotton candy is typically a pale pink color, but some brands will add artificial coloring to their recipes to create a more vibrant hue. This is optional but can be fun if you want to make your cotton candy a little more eye-catching.
5. Salt
A small amount of salt is often added to cotton candy recipes as it helps to cut down on the stickiness of the final product. This ingredient is completely optional, but if you find that your cotton candy is too sticky, you can try adding a pinch of salt to see if that helps.
6. Gum Arabic
Gum Arabic is a tree sap often used as an emulsifier in food recipes. In cotton candy, it helps to keep the sugar from clumping together and makes the final product smoother and more consistent.
7. Glucose
Glucose is a type of sugar that is often used in candy recipes as it helps to keep the final product softer and more pliable. This ingredient is completely optional but can be helpful if you find that your cotton candy is too tricky to eat.
While there are several different ingredients that cotton candy makers can use in making this type of candy, these seven are the most common. By understanding each component, you can more easily make your cotton candy at home or customize a recipe to suit your taste better.
At Lush we only use Sugar, Flavoring and Coloring that's it!!!