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Candy Science
$ 70,00
Do you enjoy making candy? But, don’t understand when things go wrong? Wondering why it is important to measure temperature? Can’t figure out why your caramel turns out too soft and your fudge too hard?
Do you also like to nerd out about candy? Enjoy a passionate conversation about different types of sugars? And don’t mind getting a little scientific?
Then this course might be just for you! In 4 weeks you’ll learn the basics of the science behind your favorite sugar candy. By the end, you’ll have experimented with several types of candy and built your candy making confidence!
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Do you want to:
- Submerge yourself in candy making?
- Practice making different kinds of candy (such as fudge, caramel & brittle)?
- Once and for all know why it is you need a thermometer when making candy?
- See what goes wrong when you cook candy to the wrong temperature?
- Tweak and develop your own sugar confections?
- Generally have more confidence when making candy?
- Geek out about the science behind sugar confectionery (no science background needed!)?
Then this candy science course might be the perfect fit for you!
Join us to experiment and learn the basic concepts behind candy making.
Candy isn’t that mysterious
You may think making candy is complicated and scary. You need a thermometer, so it must be hard. Isn’t it? Well, no! Because of that thermometer, candy making is actually quite easy. It gives you so much control. You can see what’s happening at all times and there are so many ways to fix things that go wrong along the way. Compare that to baking a cake, once it’s in the oven, there’s nothing you can do.
I’ve made candy plenty of times, and had my own set of failures. However, practice & experimentation makes (more) perfect. Using my background in food science and experience in real life, I’ve started to understand candy. And, I want you to do so too, without needing a food science degree ;-). All you need is some interest in science (no experience necessary) and a passion for learning.
Not your typical candy course
Don’t expect lists of recipes, ready for you to make, with a guarantee for success. Nor will you get a magical formula to make any and all candies, there simply are too many.
Instead, I’ll help you develop a research & investigative mindset! I will show you how to experiment and how to analyze recipes. By the end, you’ll have a few recipes ready to go. But, most importantly, you’ll be able to better understand new recipes you encounter!
Yes, I’ll share some recipes, but these are merely starting points for your experiments. Because I believe that you truly learn by doing, and failing here and there.
By the end of this confectionery course, you will be able to:
- Explain the behavior of sugar (sucrose) in confections.
- Make several types of candy and explain what happened when making them.
- List potential failures when cooking sugar syrups.
- Control the crystallization of sugar to make fudge or fondant.
- Feel comfortable experimenting with sugar confectionery recipes.
Note, this course does NOT (yet) cover using & making chocolate.
Whether you make sugar candies as a business, work as an operator in the confectionery industry, or are an enthusiastic home cook/chef, this candy making course will open up a whole new understanding!
What candy science will I learn?
WEEK 1
Sugar is is crucial ingredient in just about any candy. This first week we’ll take our time to discuss what sugar truly is. We’ll dive into some chemistry and will also have a look at different types of sugars. Invert sugar, glucose, lactose, corn syrup, maple syrup. We’ll look at all of them to understand their role in candy.
At the end of the week you can do 1 or several experiments to understand how different types of sugar can affect your candy.
WEEK 2
Most candy recipes will at some point bring a pot of sugar + water to a boil. We will discuss why this is such a common step in candy making. Of course we’ll discuss why measuring temperature is so helpful and we’ll discuss what that temperature even means.
We won’t forget about the science of course. We’ll introduce you to state diagrams, a way to understand what happens when making candy.
At the end of the week you’ll be doing some experiments again. This time, it’s time to experiment with different temperatures. This is the best way to understand why you’re measuring.
WEEK 3
This is another week full of science deep dives. Ever had a caramel turn grainy? Or fudge remain soft? If so, you’ve noticed how important crystallization of sugar is to making candy. Sometimes you want sugar to crystallize, other times, not so much.
This week we’ll discuss why that is the case. We’ll teach you how to control the crystallization as well.
And at the end of the week you get to bring it into practice again. This time by trying to make some actual candies: fudge and fondant.
WEEK 4
In this final week we slow down again a little. It’s time to bring it all together and let things sink in. To do so, we’ll introduce you to some other important ingredients in candy, apart from sugar. Several of the concepts we discussed earlier will come by again.
This is also the time to try some other types of candy! Why not try making some marshmallows, or make a caramel sauce using oat milk?
Did you know that the boiling point of a sugar solution is directly related to the concentration of sugar within?
This is one of the most important concepts to understand when making sugar confectionery. A very hot sugar syrup, will contain a high percentage of sugar.
We’ll cover this extensively in the course!
What are the requirements for this confectionery course?
Aside from a good understanding of the English language, there are no technical requirements to start this course. Do keep in mind that this course focuses heavily on the science behind sugar confectionery. An interest in candy AND science is expected :-). A basic understanding of chemistry can be helpful but is not necessary.
We highly recommend you get a good thermometer (this simple, cheap one from IKEA is great). You will also need access to basic kitchen equipment such as a stove to complete the lab exercises. Other than that, you do not need access to special equipment to take this candy making course.
When can I take it?
You can take the candy science course at any time. It is fully self-paced. However, at times we may organize live sessions in which we’ll go through the content with a group. If you subscribed previously, you’ll may be able to tag along.
The next live session has not yet been announced. We cannot guarantee that a next live session will be offered.
Fudge gets its grainy, crumbly texture from tiny crystallized sugar crystals.
Controlling crystallization is key, or you’d end up with a large chunk of sugar within.
We’ll cover this extensively in the candy science course!
A flexible, but shared learning environment
- The online candy making course, consists of 4 modules.
- We recommend you complete 1 module per week.
- You will have access to the self-paced lessons for at least 3 months.
- Reserve at least 4 hours per week to complete the course. This includes lab exercises. If you do all the optional exercises, you can easily spend a few days per week, though that’s completely optional.
Did you know that honey burns more easily than regular white sugar?
It’s because of the types of sugar present in honey! Honey contains a lot of fructose, which caramelizes more easily than sucrose (regular sugar).
We’ll cover this extensively in the course!
Sign up if:
- You’ve always been curious about how candy works.
- You have been daunted by the science and complexity behind candy.
- You are ready to develop a research mindset.
- You want to dive deeper than most online candy resources will offer.
FAQ – Anything else you’d like to know?
For anyone who wants to learn how candy works and what’s the science behind it. If you’re just looking for recipes, or instructions, this is not the place to be. We like to take a deep dive into the science of it all!
I am a professional candy maker, will this training teach me something new?
You can probably make better candies than we can ;-). However, if you’ve learned solely based on intuition and experience, knowing and understanding some of the underlying scientific concepts may still help you!
I don’t eat sugar, can I still join?
You sure can, but this course is all about sugar, so it may not be the best fit for you!
You are definitely welcome to join us! However, keep in mind that we aren’t keeping your specific diet in mind. That said, if you’d like to make candy that fits your specific diet it can be very helpful to understand how candy works in general. You’ll be well equipped to then make your own style using ingredients you prfer.
Do you offer a refund policy?
Yes, we do! If the course is not what you expected, please reach out within 14 after purchase OR within 7 days after accessing the course. All we ask is to provide us some feedback as to why the course didn’t meet your expectations so we can continue to improve!
Please refer to our General Terms & Conditions for more details.
How long will I have access to this candy making course?
We guarantee access to the non-live components for at least 3 months after purchase. However, if you find you need more time, just send us a note and we’ll most likely be able to give you extended access!
Your Instructor: Annelie
Owner of FoodCrumbles – Food ScientistHi! I’m Annelie, your instructor in this course. I’m a food scientist (MSc.) by training and have worked in the food industry for over 10 years. Over the years I’ve worked with a wide range of products, from meat to confectionery (aka candy), at both big and small companies. Helping others is a passion of mine and I’d love to help you on your candy science journey 🍬🙂.

Have any more questions or feedback?
Please reach out and let us know!
Naomi Siew (verified owner) –
Wonderful course. Annelie explains everything in a very clear way, with a lot of patience. The home experiments are fun, and my first try of fudge was delicious and with the right texture.