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Delicious, but temperamental
Walking down the candy aisle can become quite intimidating. So many choices, but only
one machine. One option is to check out the single serve packages. They will take up
less space, which means making more types of candy at once. This will also save
money and wasted time if the method used fails. Pair similar types of candy, such as
Jolly Ranchers and Skittles or filled hard candy, such as Werther’s Apple or Caramel
filled. Some hard candy will not poof or change at all, such as starlight mints.
Werther’s Originals can be prepared two ways. They can be made in the same way as
Skittles, or they can be preheated for a more interesting and poofy result. Werther’s also
has several different options and each flavor reacts differently. Using the Skittles
method, Original hard candies will puff to into a 1-2” ball. Once dry, they become extra
delicate and will explode sugar crystals everywhere if squeezed. However, this dust
could be added to ice cream for a delicious treat or used as edible glitter on cookies or
cupcakes.
The second method requires a few minutes in a regular oven. Preheat the oven to the
lowest possible setting and place the candy in the oven for about 10 minutes. Do not
melt the candies, just heat them up so they have a bit more moisture for the freeze
dryer to use. This method creates bigger poofs that are more delicate, but they take less
time in the dryer and gives better results.
Any of the Werther’s flavors can be made with either method. The soft chews work best
with the Skittles method. The filled Werther’s should be heated so the inner goo
expands with the hard candy, otherwise the goo expands out of the sides and the hard
caramel turns into a tiny ball.
With hard candy like Werther’s and Jolly Ranchers, always place them on the trays in
rows. Usually 3 across and 7 or 8 down. This prevents sticking during the drying
process.
A type of candy that a lot of people don’t eat is candy corn. It’s super sweet taste and
waxy texture can be off putting. Freeze dried candy corn can be hard and crunchy, or
fluffy and crunchy, depending on how long they are heated in the oven. They do need a
bit of space on the trays, so be sure not to overload the trays. The regular and
chocolate candy corn work the same. The pumpkins may not work due to size and
texture. Try cutting them in half or in quarters. They do need to be heated in the oven as
well.
Not all hard candies will poof. Try different candies, but don’t load the entire machine
with one type until experimenting has finished.
Gummy candies are temperamental. When they work, they are amazing. When they
don’t, they turn into rocks, which wastes time and money. Peach rings work very well,
but only on the best shelf of your specific freeze dryer. In mine, the second shelf poofs
them to the size of a donut. The third shelf only poofs the orange part, leaving the white
part only slightly puff, and crunchy sticky inside. The top and bottom shelf poofs slightly,
but leaves a lot of the hard sticky inside.
Haribo brand gummy bears are the smallest on the shelves, but they are also the
cheapest and have large bags. These miniscule bears, about ½” to start, become
massive at about 3”. They are funny to look at, but the flavor of each color is intense.
For immediate consumption, three hours is more than enough time to dry them and
enjoy; for extended storage, 7-12 hours is necessary.
Other gummy candies react in different ways. Some brands work well, some not at all.
Gummy candy should be tested on the best shelf before wasting time on a full machine.
Now for the hardest. Chocolate is never going to dry in a freeze dryer. It is mostly fat,
and the high content, along with the sugar, prevents the machine from truly drying it.
However, there are a few chocolate coated candies that work well. The only M&Ms that
work is the new Caramel Cold brew. The entire center is caramel, which expands well,
spreading the chocolate into miniscule flecks. They do not dry at all, so the M&Ms can
not be stored long term. However, they are utterly fantastic and should be enjoyed
immediately.
Similarly, Milk Duds also work well. The inside caramel expands and you end up with a
poof of caramel goodness with flecks of milk chocolate. Junior Mints brand has released
a similar caramel and it doesn’t work quite as well as Milk Duds.
Junior Mints aren’t the best, but they do work a little. The center poofs, but the dark
chocolate coating doesn’t separate into flakes. Instead, it pools around each piece and
requires a little freezing to remove them from the trays.
Anything that is solid chocolate will not dry. It will melt into a gooey mess, or possibly
explode when the moisture freezes, but the oils do not. It all comes down to preference.
Jolly Ranchers, Skittles, and the Cold Brew M&Ms are the choice of my household.
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Photos courtesy of Michele Mead
