Freeze drying candies have become a buzzing trend these days. The process is believed to elevate the taste and texture of candies. This food preservation method has made netizens curious to know how to freeze dry candy.
Freeze drying food is a technique in which the moisture content in food is removed without heating. That is to say, the moisture of food will be converted into gaseous form to evaporate without any heating via a process called sublimation.
When it comes to freeze dried candies, it becomes quite synonymous with crunchy forms of candies that can be stored for longer. In this article we’ll talk about how to freeze dry candy in detail and know if the hype around this is worth it or not.
What Is A Freeze Dried Candy?
As it is clear from its name freeze dried candy is- candy that has undergone the process of freeze drying.
This procedure is distinct from the other typical methods of food preservation that demand storing food at higher temperatures, for instance, canning. Such methods destroy the nutritional value and taste of food.
Furthermore, food items that go through the freeze drying process, even candies, easily restore their moisture in almost no time. Sweet or sour, your candies will preserve their color, aroma, and flavor for longer if freeze dried.
If you’re also inquisitive about learning how to freeze dry candy, read further.
Why Freeze Dry Candies?
Freeze drying has been used since the 20th century for food preservation. The trend of freeze dried candies became quite famous overseas.
You already know how huge of a fanbase easter bunnies have. But not every grown-up or kid can finish all of them instantly or they might wish to save them for longer. This made an addition to the list of frozen desserts and freeze dried candies became the talk of the town. Just kidding!
Freeze drying improves the taste, texture, and shelf life of food. Lately, freeze dried candies have become in trend as most adults and kids are seeking methods to make them at home.
How To Freeze Dry Candy?
You need to freeze dry a candy by lowering the pressure and afterward dissipating the ice by the process of sublimation. This is to say that the process helps in transforming the candies to freeze dried state without converting them into liquid form
Also referred to as lyophilization, freeze drying converts the water content of the food item into a gaseous state without having to give it a liquid state.
However, there prevails a typical myth that it is a biting a bullet kind of task to freeze dry candies or other foodstuff.
But in reality, it is as simple as biting a candy kind of task! All you need for this is to invest in a freeze dryer. From the enormous pool of avant-garde freeze dryers available online and in stores, you can invest in one that fits your budget and at the same time doesn’t compromise on quality.
Choosing a quality freeze dryer will ensure you get to retain maximum flavors and preserve the foods for longer. Nevertheless, we’ll also discuss how to freeze dry candy without a freeze dryer at home, so make sure to read this article till the end.
How To Freeze Dry Candy In A Freeze Dryer?
The process to freeze dry candies in a freeze dryer is pretty easy:
- Line up the candies on a tray leaving a little space between each one and place it into a freeze dryer.
- Then set the drying hours to six (or as mentioned on the packet) and relish the crunchy delights.
The typical time period to freeze dry candies in a freeze dryer is 6 to 22 hours. However, this time period might vary for different candies.
How To Freeze Dry Candy At Home (Without Machine)?
If you’re wondering how to freeze dry candy without a freeze dryer at home, this article has got you covered. You need to invest in a mini cooler of a size that fits right into your refrigerator and arrange some dry ice.
Material Needed:
- A zip-lock bag
- Insulated Gloves- 1 pair
- Dry Ice- equal to the amount of candy
- A weighing machine
- Candies- equal to the amount of dry ice
- A mini cooler
Procedure:
- First of all, put the candies into a zip-lock bag. But don’t fill it to the fullest because candies will expand to a big size afterward the process.
- Now covering your hands with insulated gloves transfer the dry ice into the mini cooler, the amount of dry ice should be equal to that of candies. You can weigh it up on a weighing scale.
- Afterward, place the mini cooler (with the lid open) into your refrigerator. Remember that the mini cooler must not be covered with a closed lid, otherwise, it can explode. Always leave the lid off the mini cooler when placing it in the refrigerator.
- Check the candies after 2 to 3 days (wearing the insulated gloves). By this time, the dry ice must be evaporated leaving tasty candies of double or triple their original size.
- Now transfer the freeze dried candies into an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy as and when you like.
If you don’t want to go down the road of using dry ice, here is another method for you:
- Take a tray and put parchment paper over it.
- Now line up the candies at a considerable distance so that you leave the space between them for expansion. Of course, you don’t want candies to stick with each other and face difficulties in eating and storing them.
- Place the tray into the freezer and set it to -30 degrees.
- Now leave the tray undisturbed for 3 weeks and try not to keep a lot of stuff in the freezer.
- Take out the tray to check if the candies have undergone the sublimation process. For this purpose, allow the candies to sit at room temperature for a while, if the color changes, put them back into the freezer for two more days. If the color doesn’t change, your freeze dried candies are ready to eat. So enjoy them and keep the rest in an airtight container.
What Kind Of Candies Can Be Freeze Dried?
You can freeze dry a plethora of candies, but certain candies give a heavenly taste when freeze dried. Here is the list of a few candies that become a treat for taste buds on freeze drying:
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Skittles
What if you get to know that there is a candy that can increase by 3X their size when freeze dried? Yes, you guessed it right! Skittles, when go through the sublimation procedure, become 3X times their size. Apart from that their texture changes from chewy candies to crunchy ones.
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Taffy
Also famous as salt water taffy, these candies have a sweet flavor and are hence a typical choice for freeze drying. These too get enlarged when undergo the process we are talking about in this article. So be sure to munch on these small and sweet delights.
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Jolly Ranchers
If you’re from the guild who always wished Jolly Ranchers could have been softer then you must try them after freeze dried. These little sweet tasty candies lose their hard-to-much-on nature when they undergo sublimation. Remember to leave a little space between each Jolly Rancher while free drying. Otherwise, they will all stick together and you won’t be able to enjoy them.
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Gummy Bears
Whether a little munchkin or a grown-up, everyone loves gummy bears, right? They make a great choice if you’ve ever desired them in crunchy form. These small edible bears become 2 times their size on the completion of this process called lyophilization. The best part is that the sweetness of gummy bears escalates on freeze drying.
How Long Does Freeze Dried Candies Last?
The shelf life of freeze dried candies can increase from several months to years. If kept properly sealed and covered they can last up to 20 years or more.
Are Freeze Dried Candies Harmful To Health?
This question is always tagged along with how to freeze dry candy. The size, texture, and taste of the candies get modified on freeze drying. Other than that, there is nothing that is reported to change. Moreover, candies come in wrapped small and lightweight packages that are easy to carry even if they transform into crunchier from softer form.
In addition, they are low-calorie sweet delights that you can eat a lot without worrying about putting on extra pounds. (PS- Don’t forget to brush your teeth two to three times a day). Even on freeze drying the addition that happens to the weight of candies is very low as they become more concentrated.
Bottom Line
A lot of trends come and go, but only a few of them are a treat for the taste buds. One such trend is making freeze dried candies at home. It is a simple but thorough process that is worth your efforts, time, and money. If as a child you’ve always been willing to chew on frozen candies, the above article talks about how to freeze dry candy with and without a freeze dryer.
