From sugar to cloud — the secret to making cotton candy
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Have you ever held a stick of cotton candy and wondered how this sweet, pink cloud was created? 🤔
The answer is both simple and fascinating. Here's the secret to making cotton candy!
🍬 What exactly is cotton candy?
Cotton candy is essentially spun sugar. Nothing more, nothing less! Ordinary sugar is transformed into thousands of ultra-fine threads that accumulate to form this light, airy cloud that we've loved since childhood.
Despite its impressive volume, a portion of cotton candy contains only about 30 grams of sugar — almost less than a can of soda!
⚙️ How it works — the machine
A cotton candy machine works on a very simple principle:
- Colored granulated sugar is poured into the center of the machine.
- The heating head melts the sugar at approximately 150-160°C.
- The head spins very rapidly — up to 3,400 revolutions per minute!
- Centrifugal force projects the molten sugar through tiny holes.
- Upon contact with the air, the sugar instantly solidifies into ultra-fine threads.
- A stick is twirled to catch the threads and form the cloud.
🌈 Where do the colors come from?
The iconic pink color of cotton candy comes from the food coloring added to the sugar. All imaginable colors can be created — pink, blue, purple, rainbow...
And the flavors? They come from food flavorings mixed directly with the colored sugar before cooking. Strawberry, raspberry, cherry, tutti frutti — the possibilities are endless!
📜 The history of cotton candy
You might be surprised to learn that cotton candy was invented by a dentist! 😅
In 1897, Dr. William Morrison and confectioner John C. Wharton created the first cotton candy machine. They presented it at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair under the name Fairy Floss.
The name Cotton Candy appeared later in the United States, and in France and Quebec it was called barbe à papa (daddy's beard) — a poetic image of Santa Claus with his long white beard! 🎅
🎪 Cotton candy today
What was once reserved for fairs and amusement parks can now be found everywhere:
- 🎭 Pre-packaged versions in candy stores
- 🍓 Original flavors like Hot Tamales, sparkling raspberry
- ☁️ Giant artisanal cotton candy
- 🌈 Multicolored rainbow versions
🍬 Cotton candy at Jujubes et Chocolats!
Here, we have original cotton candy versions:
- 🌶️ Hot Tamales cotton candy — sweet and spicy!
- 🍓 Sparkling Strawberry cotton candy — that crackles in your mouth!
📍 Galeries Saint-Hyacinthe, entrance no. 8
🛒 jujubeschocolats.com — delivery across Canada!
Did you know that cotton candy was invented by a dentist? Share if that surprised you! 😄👇