Best Spun Sugar Recipes

SPUN SUGAR

Steps:

• Mix the ingredients together in a medium pot and, using a pastry brush soaked in water, wash down the sides of the pot to make sure there is no caramelization to color the sugar before you get to temperature.
• Heat the ingredients on the stove top to 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and cool to 275 degrees over a water bath.
• Dip a fork in the sugar syrup and stretch the sugar syrup back and forth across the bottom of a pre-greased bowl, going as quickly as possible. Gently gather the spun sugar and place it on a dessert plate.

SPUN SUGAR

Steps:

• Using masking tape, attach 2 wooden spoons to your work surface, placing them side by side with handles extended over edge. Lightly brush oil over handles. Cover floor with newspaper.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Cook until mixture turns pale amber, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer pan to ice-water bath. Let cool until slightly thickened (like the consistency of honey), about 1 minute.
• Cut the looped ends of a wire whisk with wire cutters (or use 2 forks held back to back). Dip ends into caramel. From about 2 feet above spoon handles, swing caramel back and forth like a pendulum in long arcs, allowing strands to fall in thin threads over the handles. Immediately gather strands into a loose nest. (If caramel becomes too stiff, gently reheat over low.) Use immediately.

FROZEN CRANBERRY SOUFFLé WITH SPUN SUGAR CRANBERRY WREATH

Steps:

• Make the cranberry mixture:
• In a heavy saucepan combine the cranberries, the sugar, and the water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until it is thickened, and let it cool completely.
• Make the Italian meringue:
• In a small heavy saucepan combine the sugar and the water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the syrup, washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the side of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until it registers 248°F. on a candy thermometer and remove the pan from the heat. While the syrup is boiling, in the large bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, with the motor running add the hot syrup in a stream, beating, and beat the meringue at medium speed for 8 minutes, or until it cools to room temperature.
• Fold the cranberry mixture into the meringue gently but thoroughly. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat the cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold it into the cranberry mixture gently but thoroughly. Spoon the soufflé into a 2 1/2-quart (8-inch diameter) freezer-proof glass serving bowl, smoothing the top, and freeze the soufflé, its surface covered with plastic wrap, overnight. The souffleé may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and frozen.
• Make the spun sugar wreath:
• In a small heavy saucepan combine the corn syrup and the sugar, bring the mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and boil the syrup until it is a golden caramel and registers 320°F. on a candy thermometer. While the syrup is boiling, oil lightly a 12 inch-square sheet of foil and on it arrange the cranberries in a 6-inch-wide wreath shape. Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool for 30 seconds. Dip a fork into the syrup and drizzle the syrup over the cranberries, repeating this procedure until the cranberries are covered with the syrup and a solid wreath is formed. (If the syrup becomes too thick to drizzle from a fork, reheat it over moderate heat until it is the right consistency.) Let the wreath cool completely. The wreath may be made 2 hours in advance (preferably not on a damp day) and kept in a cool, dry place.
• Pry the wreath gently from the foil, arrange it on the soufflé, and garnish it with the mint sprigs.

SPUN-SUGAR CROWN

Steps:

• Using masking tape, attach 2 wooden spoons to the counter, placing them side by side with the handles extended over the edge. Lightly oil the handles. Cover floor with newspaper.
• Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Cook until mixture turns pale amber and registers 300 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 2 minutes. Stir in beeswax. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 250 degrees.
• Cut the looped ends of a wire whisk with wire cutters (or use 2 forks held back to back). Dip ends into caramel. From about 2 feet above spoon handles, swing caramel back and forth like a pendulum in long arcs, allowing strands to fall in thin threads over the handles. Immediately gather strands into a nest.

SPUN-SUGAR NEST

Steps:

• Cover a low counter or work surface with parchment paper. Using masking tape, attach a wooden spoon to the counter so its handle extends over the edge. Cover floor of surrounding area with parchment paper.
• Stir together 2/3 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. (Do not stir.) Cover; cook until sugar crystals are dissolved, about 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover; cook until mixture turns amber, about 5 minutes. Swirl pan to even out color. Remove caramel from heat.
• Cut the looped ends of a wire whisk with wire cutters (or use two forks held back to back). Dip ends into caramel. Standing over the spoon handle, swing caramel back and forth like a pendulum over the handle in long arcs. The sugar should solidify slightly in the air, drawing out long threadlike strands. As sugar drapes itself over handle, gather it up in small bunches, and transfer to parchment paper. Arrange small bunches of spun sugar around base of hen cake to make the nest.

SPUN SUGAR FOR SUGAR PLUM FAIRY

Steps:

• Cover a 4-by-5-foot area of floor with parchment or newspaper. Set a pasta drying rack or a wooden drying rack on the paper, and coat well with cooking spray.
• Combine sugar, the water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan; stir to combine. Place pan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down any sugar crystals on sides of pan. Clip on a candy thermometer; cook, without stirring, until temperature reaches 290 to 295 degrees.
• Remove from heat; let sit for about 5 minutes, until very fine threads form when whisk is lifted from sugar. Dip whisk into sugar; swing over rack, using a quick motion, to create long threads.
• When rack is coated with a thin cobweb-like layer of sugar, lift it in one piece from rack, and roll it gently into a ball. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until 12 balls are formed.

SPUN SUGAR CROWNS

Steps:

• Secure a long-handled wooden spoon under a heavy cutting board on the edge of counter, with the handle facing out and extending over the edge. Place newspaper on the floor, directly under the cutting board.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and the water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Cook until mixture turns pale amber and registers 300°F (hard-crack stage) on the candy thermometer. Plunge pan into ice bath to stop the cooking; let cool, stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 250°F.
• Dip the tines of a fork into caramel. Holding fork about 2 feet above spoon handle, swing caramel back and forth like a pendulum in long arcs, allowing strands to fall in threads over the handles. Let stand until ready to use, then gently gather some of the strands into a ball, shaping with the palms of your hands. Repeat to make 12 crowns.

SPUN SUGAR FOR CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Cover the work space with parchment paper and the floor with newspaper. Prepare an ice-water bath.
• Place the sugar, 1/2 cup water, and the corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Raise heat to high, and bring mixture to a boil. Continue cooking until the temperature registers 310 degrees (hard-crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, and briefly plunge the saucepan into ice water to stop the cooking. Let stand to thicken slightly, about 1 minute. Use immediately.