Unexpectedly Delightful Hard Candy Recipes Without Corn Syrup (2024)

FAQs

What can I use if I don't have corn syrup? ›

The best corn syrup substitutes for baking are brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave, tapioca syrup, honey, golden syrup, and black treacle. Whether you're avoiding using corn syrup, are allergic to corn, or don't have it on hand, there are a ton of substitutes for corn syrup to try instead.

Corn syrup is a common ingredient in many hard candy recipes because it is an invert sugar. Invert sugar inhibits the formation of sugar crystals and provides a smooth texture to hard candy, caramel, and other cooked sweets.

Honey won't prevent crystallization as well as corn syrup does, so it's not the best choice if you're making candy, but it's great for other uses.

It can help stabilize and maintain the structure of whipped cream and meringue so they don't fall flat once you're done whipping them. Preventing sugar crystallization. Cream of tartar can prevent your homemade hard candy, caramel, and toffee from forming a gritty texture due to sugar crystallization.

Mix the cornstarch with the cold water; place in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring while cooking. When it becomes clear, add the sugar. Boil down until it is the thickness of prepared corn syrup. It will thicken some as it cools.

Studies show that high fructose corn syrup increases your appetite and promotes obesity more than regular sugar. “High fructose corn syrup also contributes to diabetes, inflammation, high triglycerides and something we call non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,” says Dr.

Citric acid, sold as colorless crystals or powder, is an optional ingredient that adds tartness to fruit-flavored candies. The sour coating on the "super-sour" candies that are so popular today is a mixture of citric acid and sugar.

Cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved; then cook without stirring, lowering the heat and cooking more slowly during the last few minutes, to the hard crack stage (300 degrees F). If sugar crystals form on sides of pan, wipe them off with a damp brush.

Corn starch, as a polymer, assumes three major roles in confections: ingredient, moulding agent or dusting agent. In its simplest application, starch is used as a dusting agent for marshmallows or other sticky products.

Karo syrup is a popular brand of corn syrup, which is obtained from corn starch that is derived from maize. It is a concentrated solution of several sugars, such as glucose (dextrose), derived from corn starch. Because of various sugars, corn syrup has a naturally mild sweet taste.

Can Stevia be used to make hard candy? ›

Farmers formed a cooperative when they discovered they could extract the sweet crystals of the stevia leaf. In 1988, Stevita became the world's first stevia table-top sweetener, and has now created the first stevia-sweetened hard candy.

Molasses. The consistency of molasses is very similar to corn syrup and can be used with a 1:1 ratio as an alternative in baked goods.

Cream of tartar softens the candy, corn syrup will prevent it going "sticky" at room temperature so easily. While powdered sugar will help I find it isn't necessary with the corn syrup version, though humidity and temperature likely play a role in this.

In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture. If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

Baking soda helps to aerate brittle — it literally makes the molten candy bubble in the pot — to create a brittle with an airy, almost honeycomblike texture that crunches easily when eaten.

Corn syrup keeps sugar from crystallizing, a.k.a. hard sugar lumps forming in your otherwise smooth syrup, which is why you'll often see it in homemade candy or caramel recipes. Whether you're making brittle or butterscotch, adding corn syrup along with the sugar results in smooth, never-grainy caramel.

For each cup of light corn syrup in a recipe, substitute 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup water. For each cup of dark corn syrup, substitute 1 cup of packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup water.

Essentially, glucose and corn syrup are the same thing. All corn syrup is glucose syrup, but not all glucose syrup is corn syrup. This means they can be used interchangeably, but as mentioned above, they are different types of glucose syrups that can aid in certain recipes.

Sugar and Water

A modified simple syrup of four parts sugar to one-part warm water is an easy corn syrup swap in many recipes, including confections cooked to the soft-ball stage—think buttercreams, pralines and fudge.