As humans, we all love exciting and new things. We love to try something new that is more eye-catching. Candy lovers look for new and different ways to enjoy their favorite treats. For candy lovers, there comes a great deal. Freeze dried candy is an innovative method that has become incredibly popular recently. It gives you a chance to turn everyday confections into extraordinary delights.
Is it enjoyable to see small-sized candy turning into a big size? Its taste is chewy and soft but turns airy and crunchy. And also freeze dried candy gives you a more intense or concentrated taste experience and sensations.
Let’s dive into its details and discover how to make it, equipment, ingredients, storage, and many more things you know.
What Is Freeze Dried Candy?
Freeze drying entails freezing candy and followed by placing it in a vacuum. In a vacuum, the frozen water is removed through sublimation. This reduced moisture inhibits the growth of bacteria. Now candy also becomes crunchy, crispy, airy, and lightweight. It retains its original color, texture, and taste. People love freeze dried candies for travel and long storage.
Old ways to freeze dry candy took many hours but today many appliances are available that ease making freeze dried candy. The one I recommended is the Harvest Right Home Freeze dryer. The best thing is that it now offers a candy mode. It is the world’s top home freeze dryer.
Which Types Of Candy Can Be Freeze Dried?
Choosing the right candy is the first step of freeze drying. We can freeze dry a variety of candies but not all. Avoid freeze dry candies that contain high-fat contact like some treats that have high amounts of oil or low sugar content. Here we suggest some candies you can choose according to your taste and preference.
● Gummy Candies
Gummies like gummy bears, gummy worms, and other varieties of gummies are included. The suggestion is that you try to experience different gummy flavors to find your favorite one. It’s great fun. Freeze dried gummy candies maintain their taste and nutritional value while achieving a crunchy and delightful texture. You can also use these freeze dried candies as a topping on yogurt, sweet dishes, ice creams, and desserts.
● Taffy
Taffy is like saltwater taffy known for its stretching and chewing texture. Freeze dried taffy offers a delightful and crunchy texture while preserving its all flavors. The new version is an amazing contrast to its original chewiness. Taffy lovers enjoy this amazing and mind-blowing twist. You can also use freeze dried taffy in your dessert to give some crunchy texture.
● Fruit Snacks
Fruit snacks include various fruit-flavored candies, gummy bears, and fruit chews. Freeze dried fruit candies not only enhance flavor and texture but also their color remains eye-catching. It may be a great option for garnishing your delicious deserts making them more mouth-watering.
● Chocolate Covered Candies
Chocolate-covered candies include raisins, nuts, M&M’s, and chocolate bars are also used for freeze drying. The freeze drying process retains the rich cocoa flavor. It comes out in a crispy and unique flavor that will truly make you addicted. The soothing sound of satisfying crunch is an amazing experience. For a chocolate lover like me, it’s the best thing that surely satisfies taste buds.
● Sour Candies
For those who love the tangy flavor in treats then sour candies are gonna be an amazing experience for them. The puckering sourness of these candies enhances and adds an amazing twist. Freeze dried sour candies maintain their crunch and flavor that will surely awaken your taste buds at each bite.
● Some Other Candies
Here are some candies that are used for freeze drying:
- Hard candies like Jolly Rancher, peppermints, and others.
- Marshmallows both mini and regular-size
- All varieties of jelly beans
- Red and black licorice
- All flavors of Skittles
- Caramel chews and squares
Step By Step Instructions For Making Freeze Dried Candy In A Freeze Drying Machine
➤ Essential Ingredients For Freeze Dried Candy
The main ingredient is candy. You can choose your favorite candies from the above mentioned list for freeze drying. However, some people prefer to add natural additives (citric acid or vitamin C) and flavor enhancers (powder or extracts).
Remember these are optional; the only main ingredient is candy.
➤ Essential Equipment For Freeze Dried Candy
● Home Freeze Dryer:
This is a primary equipment that is required for achieving conditions necessary for making freeze dried candy.
● Airtight Containers:
These are used as packing material for storing freeze dried candies and so to increase their shelf life.
● Freezing Trays:
To hold candies, stainless steel trays are preferable.
● Silicone Mats or Parchment Paper:
These prevent the candies from sticking together. But these are optional. If you have then you use them otherwise place the candies at some distance from each other. So when their size increases during the freeze drying process they do not stick to gather and ruin their shape.
Prepare The Candy For Freeze Drying
- Select your favorite candy that has a high content of sugar
- If the candy is big then cut it into uniform pieces
- Coat sticky candies like gummies with powdered sugar
- Place the candy in a single layer on the tray. Ensure that they are placed uniformly at some distance so they do not stick together when they freeze. It is better to use Silicone Mats or Parchment Paper
Setting Up A Home Freeze Dryer
- Place your candies in a regular freezer. This step is optional. It is done to speed up the process when candies are already chilled.
- Turn on the home freeze dryer. Select a custom cycle. Freeze dryer has a candy mode that activates only when you set the following cycle:
| Initial freeze | 0F |
| Extra freeze time | 0:00 |
| Dry mode | fast |
| Extra dry time | 2:00 |
| Dry mode Dry temp | 145F |
When you set these settings, you see a statement on the screen
candy/high-temperature mode.
- Now press starts. Freeze dryer will start pre-chill for at least 30 minutes.
- When the time is up place the tray with evenly placed candies in the freeze dryer
- Close the chamber
- After 4 hours, when the cycle is complete open the freeze dryer and enjoy your freeze dried candies.
Working Of Freeze Drying
First, the freeze dryer lowers the temperature to freeze the candy. Then it creates a vacuum to lower the air pressure. It converts frozen matter directly from ice to vapors. The process of sublimation is completed. The freezers will alert you when the cycle is completed. Now you can enjoy your candies that expand in size and become more crunchy while retaining their flavor and color.
Step By Step Instructions To Make Freeze Dry Candy Without A Machine
A freeze dryer is not a common house appliance. While many prefer store bought freeze dried treats, some people love to make freeze dried candies at home even though they do not have a home freeze dryer. Unfortunately, home freeze dryers are still quite rare. But don’t despair! We’ll explore a method to mimic the freeze drying process right in your kitchen. Keep in mind, that the results won’t be identical to those of a dedicated machine, but they’ll come pretty close. Ready to give it a try?
➤ Essential Ingredients And Equipment
The main ingredient is of course your favourite candy. Essential equipment are:
● A cooler
The bottom of the cooler is used to place ice packs or dry ice. It helps to maintain the cold temperature that is essential for the freeze drying process.
● Dry ice
Dry ice creates an extremely low temperature environment inside the cooler. This results in the reduction of humidity inside the cooler. Low humidity is important for the sublimating process. Dealing with dry ice needs caution. Safety measures must be taken before you start. Read instructions for proper use from NYDOH.
● A freezer
The freezer is required to freeze candies. This will retain the shape of the candies during the entire process of freeze drying
● A freezer bag
These bags are crucial for the protection of candy and act as a moisture barrier. Just place the candies inside the bag, remove the air, and then seal it.
Process Of Making Freeze Dried Candy
- Cut your candy into small pieces and put them into a freezer bag.
- Place the freezer bag into the freezer and let the candies freeze for a few hours.
- when the time is up, take the candies out of the freezer and place the freezer bag into the cooler filled with dry ice.
- Do not seal the cooler completely because dry ice sublimates directly into carbon dioxide. So CO2 builds up to create high pressure, posing a risk of explosion. Ensuring the cooler is not completely sealed (leaving a small gap or creating ventilation holes) prevents the accumulation of CO2.
- After 48 hours transfer the candies to an airtight container and enjoy it whenever you want.
5 Common Mistakes To Avoid
1. Overfilling trays:
Avoid overcrowding trays with candies. It resists proper airflow. As a result, unevenly dried candies can occur. Avoid overloading to prevent the candies from sticking together.
2. Incorrect setting of freeze dryer:
The incorrect setting of temperature and pressure results in over-dried and under-dried candy. For optimal setting always refer to the freeze dryer manual.
3. Incorrect drying time:
Each candy has a different drying time so you have to set the drying time according to the nature of the candy. If you set it once for all types of candies it will result in a consistent result.
4. Bad storage condition:
If you store freeze dried candy in a humid environment it will cause moisture absorption. Hence the shelf life of candy is reduced. It also has a bad effect on the texture of candy.
5. Inconsistent candy size:
While cutting the candy, the major mistake is its inconsistent size. The candy pieces vary in size and thickness resulting in uneven freeze drying processes. It leads to inconvenient results.
Storage Techniques For Freeze Dried Candies
Here are some proper storage techniques that will help you store your freeze dried candy for a longer period.
● Airtight Containers
The airtight containers are mostly used for storage. Airtight containers prevent moisture absorption and help maintain your candy’s crunchy texture.
● Vacuum Sealed Bags
For long-term storage vacuum sealed bags are the best option. It removes the air and prevents the entry of moisture into the bag. So keep your candy fresh for a long time.
● A Cool, Dark Place
Place your storage container in a cool or dark place like a cupboard because direct heat or sun exposure affects the quality of freeze dried candy.
● Desiccant Packs
Desiccant packs absorb any moisture that comes in storage containers. Hence keep your candy dry and increase its shelf life.
● Proper Labeling
Some people do not prefer to label. But it is the best way to keep yourself reminded to use older batches first. Proper labeling involves writing the freeze drying date and type of candy, then labeling the storage container or bag.
5 Fun Ways To Enjoy Freeze Dried Candy
Snacking: you can enjoy freeze dried candy as your day or night snack. Its unique texture and flavor always give you a remarkable experience.
Mix with popcorn: people prefer having popcorn while watching a movie. So here is a great combination of mixing freeze dried candy with popcorn and enjoy this delightful treat.
Gift baskets: this is a great idea to gift a basket of freeze dried candy to candy lovers. You can customize the basket according to the recipient’s favorite flavor.
Topping for desserts: freeze dried candy is used as a topping for ice cream and yogurt. It enhances the flavor of desserts and makes them more enjoyable.
Topping for hot cocoa and coffee: You can use freeze dried candy as a topping for hot beverages like hot cocoa and coffee. When you place these freeze dried candies on top of hot coffee and cocoa, they slightly melt, enhancing the flavor and creating a more delightful treat.
Sharing at the workplace: it would be great fun if you share your freeze dried candy at the workplace or even at school. Your colleagues enjoy this treat by selecting freeze dried candy of their favorite flavor.
Final Thought
Freeze dried candy is gaining popularity these days. It is liked by people of all ages no matter whether children or adults or old. The Freezing drying process makes the candy more crunchy and crispy and enhances its flavor. Making it at home is also cost-effective rather than buying from the store. You can store the freeze dried candy for a longer period and enjoy it in various ways like snacking, topping on desserts, and for many other reasons mentioned above.
