Kids love candies and so do adults. Whether you are planning to host a playdate or a birthday party, or you are just planning to make some sweet treats for the kids, there is nothing more fun than making candies at home. It is not only fun and much cheaper to make candies at home, but it is also a great bonding activity for parents and kids.
You can get as imaginative and creative as you can get with the aesthetics of your candies. That being said, most people are not very well versed with the art of candy making at home. Just because you are great with main course food, does not necessarily mean one can work as effectively with confectionary. This is because the dynamics of prepping up ingredients and using the types of equipment and tools for confectionary making need more practice and precision.
Despite all its technicalities, newbies can make candies at home. If you have not done this ever before, here is a quick guide and tips to help you make great candies.
Go By the Book
Most people who already have some experience in cooking feel tempted to just pick the ingredients from a recipe and then tweak up the recipe to their preferences. They play around with proportions and techniques to create new flavors. While this might do wonders in regular cooking, you should not experiment this with confectionaries, at least until you have mastered the art and can understand the science behind using a certain material, temperature, tool, and technique. As a beginner, you should follow the recipe to the tee.
Be Patient
It is highly probable that even despite going by the book your candy might not come out as you expected for the very first time. However, be patient and keep practicing. The more you practice and allow trial and error, the more you will be able to understand how different ingredients, procedures, and techniques affect the final result.
Measuring Tools
You must invest in standard measuring tools to measure your ingredients so that you can achieve standardized results. Say your recipe says you have to use 1 cup of flour. If you will rely on your regular tea and coffee cups to take your measurements, you will have different measurements of a cup, every time you use a different cup. The same goes for using regular tablespoons and teaspoons. Invest in a set of measuring cups and spoons along with a measuring beaker so that you have accurate and standardized measurements.
Precision of Temperature
Your candy can neither be undercooked nor overdone. It should be just perfect, with the right taste and texture inside out. This will only come when you have very precise measurements of your temperature. According to cookwared.com, it is highly recommended to use a thermometer to get the required precision. Candy thermometers are easily available in the market and at affordable prices. A basic candy thermometer is good enough for household use.
Nicola Holder 
Nina Smith