Today’s food focus is on the carnival favorite Cotton Candy.

Cotton candy was first created in 1897 by dentist William Morrison and with the help of candy maker John C. Wharton. Cotton candy is 100% sugar. The two invented an electric machine that heated sugar in a spinning bowl with tiny holes that spun heated sugar through a screen. The sugar caramelized and turned into light strands creating the floss-like texture that we know and love. The duo premiered cotton candy at the World’s Fair in 1908, where it was priced at 25 cents, which was a hefty price at the time. The original name for cotton candy was “Fairy Floss”.

The origins of cotton candy trace back centuries, all the way to Renaissance Italy. Back then, chefs melted and spun sugar manually, pulling the candy into thin strands using forks and draping it over broom handles. The old-fashioned way of making cotton candy was to melt sugar in a pan and then use a fork to make strings of sugar over an upside-down bowl. The sugar would then dry in strings and be served as a dessert.

The name “cotton candy” comes from another dentist (I am seeing a pattern here), Josef Lascaux, who decided to make the treat for his dental clients after seeing Morrison’s success.

 

Here are some fun facts about cotton candy:

• Cotton candy is fat free and gluten free: It’s also healthier than most desserts.
• Cotton candy is lighter than other sweets but It’s not great for your teeth.
• Cotton candy has many names: It’s also called spun sugar, floss candy, fairy floss, and suikerspin, which translates to “sugar spider”.
• A thread of cotton candy is thinner than a human hair: The longest cotton candy was 1,400 meters long, which is about the length of 13 football fields.
• A typical bag of cotton candy contains less sugar and calories than a can of soda.
• A stick of cotton candy has about 110 calories.
• Wherever the water touches, it completely dissolves the fluffy cotton candy into a very small bit of gooey sugar water.
• 76% of restaurants offer cotton candy on their menus.
• Cotton candy is available in 50 different flavors.

 

Cotton candy machines are available at many retailers and on Amazon. Here is a cotton candy recipe for you to try:

Ingredient:

• 2 ¼ cups of white granulated sugar
• ½ cup of water
• ½ cup of corn syrup
• 1 pinch of salt
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Food Coloring

 

Instructions:

1. Cover your working surface with a large plastic wrap or tarp. This activity can also be done outside — it may get messy!
2. Spray a wire cooling rack lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Stir until the sugar is melted.
4. Using a candy thermometer, carefully measure the liquid’s temperature. Heat to 320 degrees.
5. Once the liquid reaches the desired temperature, pour the molten sugar into a heat-resistant bowl. Add any food coloring or flavoring extract and stir well with the cut whisk.
6. Working quickly, dip the special whisk into the molten sugar syrup and drizzle it quickly back and forth over the tray, letting small wisps of the liquid fall down. Repeat, drizzling the whisk back and forth until you have several strands that begin to form a nest of sugar.
7. Gather the wisps in your hand and form little balls around the lollipop sticks or cones. Serve immediately.
8. Enjoy!

 

Pink and blue are the most popular colors for cotton candy. The evolution of cotton candy has resulted in many colors and unique flavor combinations. The colors of cotton candy do not contribute to the flavor.

Here are some popular cotton candy flavors:

• Strawberry: The most popular prepackaged cotton candy flavor for children of all ages (56%)
• Blue raspberry: The flavor most often associated with blue cotton candy.
• Pink vanilla: A widely available flavor originally formulated by the Gold Medal brand.
• Other common flavors: Bubblegum, blueberry, orange, vanilla, and grapes
• Creative flavors: Birthday cake, chocolate strawberry, passionfruit, and piña colada

 

The global cotton candy maker market was valued at US$ 107.2 Billion in 2022. On average, cotton candy is consumed 1.48 times per year. Market research firm Datassential found that cotton candy is found on 1.4% of U.S. menus, a 37% increase over the past four years. Cotton candy is trending in the dairy, bakery, and restaurant industries.

 

So why not celebrate National Cotton Candy Day? Let us know in the comments, your favorite story about cotton candy.