In space, NASA astronaut Don Pettit uses candy corn for a zero-gravity candy corn demonstration that illustrates how surfactant molecules behave. In Germany, Café Gruen Ohr offers customers the chance to customize their own candy using a 3D printer. Continue reading
Summer would be incomplete without carnivals and bright, fleecy, sugary cotton candy. For a snack that’s nothing but sugar and air, there’s a surprising amount of physics and chemistry involved. Below are seven science-heavy facts about this feathery-light confection. Editor’s note: The original post stated that 1 ounce of cotton candy is 0.105 kilocalories, when in … Continue reading
Growing up as a chubby kid who tried to convince her parents that candy belonged at every meal (a real life Augustus Gloop, if I may), one of my favorite books was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And though I’d dream for a mug of the chocolate river, my favorite of Willy Wonka’s creations was … Continue reading
Whether you prefer them toasted over a campfire, bobbing in a cup of hot chocolate, or roasted over a bed of sweet potatoes, marshmallows are an ooey-gooey fluffy treat that just finds a way warm the cockles of your heart. Marshmallows, like other well-known aerated confections – think mousses, ice cream, meringues – are essentially made of four … Continue reading
Larry Peterman of Hotlix insect-containing candies gives insight into insect farming, and Guy Crosby of Cooks Illustrated helps shed a scientific light on the mysteries of the kitchen. Continue reading
Old-fashioned candy-making is a fascinating spectacle, if one ever gets the opportunity to watch. Fortunately, the Internet is full of videos like this one, which shows how hard candies (specifically, candy canes) are made by hand: The process that turns ordinary, granulated table sugar into solid, glassy, hard candy is as dynamic on a molecular … Continue reading
The Twinkies ingredients list is analyzed to figure out how these snacks have such a long shelf life (45 days!), while in lab, gummi bears are subjected to sonication, liquid nitrogen, and trypsin. Continue reading
Some might say one of life’s little pleasures is eating candy. Those who have tried Pop Rocks, however, know that its sugary glory and dare-devilish allure warrant an entirely new adventure. Although it appears harmless, a handful of Pop Rocks candy will set off a fizzy explosion of sugar crystals and popping noises in your … Continue reading
Chocolate-covered strawberries have an innate beauty in their simplicity, making this snack both sweet and decadent. But this gourmet treat does not have to be expensive nor only savored at special events. Although it’s not quite as simple as dipping strawberries into soupy chocolate sauce, you can easily make chocolate-covered strawberries in your very own … Continue reading
Seasonal winter treats somehow seem incomplete unless they are imbued with a frosty, peppermint flavor. This is easily accomplished by enhancing the recipe with peppermint oil or peppermint extract, cultivated from the leaves of the peppermint plant. This plant’s scientific name is Mentha x piperita, the “x” indicating that it is a hybrid mint, formed … Continue reading
