ReadyMade: Instructions for everyday life

Issue 46
The Food Issue
Make a meal to die for
Make wine crate cabinets
Learn to screen print
Check out the RM Photo Gallery

Candy Baubles

Take a trip to candyland.

by Sharlene Breakey

Photos by Kathryn Gamble & Rick Lozier

When Chris Grassi and Fiona Ryan mix, twist, and sculpt at their Nolita store, Papabubble, magic happens—in bright, tasty, exquisitely addictive chunks of hard candy. The two learned their craft at the original Papabubble in Barcelona after graduating from art school. “[We found] this beautiful store with crazy smells coming from it,” Ryan says. “It was so fantastic that I asked for a job.” Three and a half years later, she and Grassi opened a store in the states. “We have the freedom to be really creative, but the sugar is boss!”

    1. Prepare an upside-down baking sheet (air underneath the sheet will help the candy cool faster) by covering it with parchment paper and spraying it with cooking spray. Lightly coat candy molds with cooking spray, wiping out excess with a paper towel.

    2. In a small saucepan stir together sugar and water, scraping down the sides of the pan to remove any grains of sugar that might be stuck (since they will burn). Bring to a boil and add the corn syrup. Clip candy thermometer to side of pan and cook the mixture over medium-high heat, stirring continuously until mixture returns to a boil. Reduce heat and continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 300°F, which is hard-crack stage (about 10 minutes). Watch carefully when the mixture reaches 275°F since the temperature will rise quickly.

    3. Remove the pan from the heat; stir in your chosen flavoring and food coloring. Feel free to mix colors (but remember that a little goes a long way).

    4. Working quickly, pour mixture into candy molds. Let cool about 10 minutes before removing from mold. If you don’t have molds, pour small circles onto the prepared baking sheet.

Hard Candy

 

ingredients

    • 1 C SUGAR
    • 1/2 C WATER
    • 1/3 C LIGHT-COLORED CORN SYRUP OR GLUCOSE
    • 1/4 TO 1 TSP FLAVORING OIL, SUCH AS PEPPERMINT (1/2 TSP), LEMON (1 TSP), OR RASPBERRY (1 TSP) (BE SURE TO USE FLAVORING OILS, NOT EXTRACTS FROM THE SUPERMARKET AS THEIR FLAVOR WILL BURN OFF. YOU CAN FIND FLAVORING OILS AT LORANNOILS.COM)
    • FEW DROPS LIQUID FOOD COLORING (USING WHITE PLUS A COLOR RESULTS IN IMPRESSIVE OPAQUE CANDY)

tools

    • BAKING SHEET
    • PARCHMENT PAPER
    • COOKING SPRAY
    • SILICONE CANDY MOLDS
    • PAPER TOWELS
    • SMALL SAUCEPAN (PREFERABLY WITH A SPOUT)
    • CANDY THERMOMETER
    • WOODEN SPOON