How Jawbreakers Are Made
Other People Are Reading
-
Pan Candy
-
The word "jawbreaker" once meant a word that was difficult to say. A skilled confectioner named Salvatore Ferrara used the name when he developed a hard candy that had to be sucked instead of chewed. The hard candy became so popular that, since then, the word "jawbreaker" is synonymous with the hard candy and used by many companies to make equivalent products. Jawbreakers are also called "pan candy." Wide-mouthed, large copper kettle pots constantly rotating over a flame begins the origin of the jawbreaker. Granulated sugar is carefully added to the kettle and then the rotating motion starts to form the sugar into small balls. The heat of the kettle begins to crystalize the sugar. A panner--a confectioner who specializes in hot pan candy--carefully ladles hot liquid sugar to the kettle. The liquid sugar adheres to the crystalized granulated sugar. All the while the kettle pan is rotating to ensure the candies form into small spherical shapes. This is no speedy process. The liquid sugar can be added to the growing jawbreakers in intervals that span for over two weeks until the candy has achieved the desired size and shape. It can take more than 100 applications of adding liquid sugar, a little bit at a time, until the candy is ready for the next stage.
Flavoring and Coloring
-
The flavoring and coloring of jawbreakers are only added to the last couple of layers on the confection. The rotating pan is used again to add the flavoring and coloring a little bit at a time. The panner carefully pours a small amount of the flavoring or coloring (one at a time) on the edge of the rotating pans. The rolling continuously rotating jawbreakers became painted with the flavoring and the coloring this way.
-
Eye Appeal
-
After two weeks or more, once the candies have reached a desired size, color, shape, and flavor, they are ready to be coated with carnauba wax, which is an edible wax. The wax coating is intended for aesthetic eye appeal of the product making it shiny. A different, but similar pan is used for the waxing of the jawbreaker. The candies are dropped in a small bath of the food-grade wax and the pan rotates, coating the candies thoroughly and giving them a shiny, delicious look.
-
