Cotton candy (or cotton candy) is a cool, but rather expensive thing. And it seems completely crazy to buy a cotton candy machine in order to treat yourself to this delicacy only occasionally. This DIY project can be put together very quickly from an intact pan and whatever you may have lying around in your bins.
The main part of the machine for making cotton candy is a container with sugar and holes, which will heat up and rotate, and threads of melted sugar will fly out into these holes. This container will be placed inside the pan to prevent the sugar strands from flying all over the kitchen.
Cotton candy at home
Now we will talk about how to make cotton candy at home. The first thing you need to do is make a cotton candy machine. To make it you will need a bottle with a volume of 5 liters, an engine from any children's toy, a lid from a can, a power supply and a box. The power of the power supply should be from 12 -20v, any phone charger can be used.
Cut a hole in the bottle cap and insert the engine. The main thing is that the engine holds tightly; for this you can add a couple of drops of glue. On top of the rotor we put a rubber band on the nipple and attach the lid from the jar.
We connect the power supply, its wire should pass through the bottle and connect to the engine.
The cotton candy machine is almost ready, all you have to do is find the box and insert the machine into it.
Now he's ready. All that remains is to prepare the desired mixture. To prepare the mixture we need: a metal mug, sugar, water, stove. First you need to lubricate the lid of the jar with oil. This is necessary so that the mixture does not stick to the lid. Next, pour one tablespoon of sugar into a metal mug and add water. There should not be a lot of water, just enough to soak in the sugar.
Place on fire and stir constantly. It is necessary that the water evaporates, and only thick caramel remains. Once the water stops boiling and begins to take on a brownish appearance, the mixture is ready. After preparing the mixture, you need to do everything quickly so that the mixture does not have time to harden. We start the miracle unit and drop a small stream of the mixture onto the lid of the jar. The caramel will fly in different directions and shoot cobwebs. That's all.
It is worth considering that this is the easiest design, anyone can improve it.
Installation of rod and motor
In order for a ready-made cotton candy machine, created with your own hands, to work, you need an engine. It can be connected using a short tube or a metal rod to a tin can. It's much more convenient. It is worth making one hole at the ends of the tube or rod. Each of them has its own purpose. One will serve to connect to the motor shaft. You can secure it with superglue. You can also use a locking screw. In this case, another hole will be required. However, this method allows you to remove the engine if necessary.
The second hole is needed to attach a tin can. It is best to secure the container with a bolt. After this, the engine must be secured to the crossbar. This is done very simply. It is enough to drill two holes in the center of the strip. It is better to secure the engine with two screws.
How to make a cotton candy machine
Cotton candy is quite a tasty delicacy, but the machine for making it is very expensive and therefore it is not advisable to purchase it for home use.
However, almost everyone can make their own homemade cotton candy machine at home. To do this, you will need a simple saucepan and some accessories that are likely to be found in every pantry. Making a home device will not take much time, but it will cost mere pennies. With a little work, you can make cotton candy from simple sugar at any time and in any quantity.
Lighter mount
Let's look at how to create a cotton candy machine with your own hands. First you need to create a stand for the lighter. To do this, the device must be wrapped in two layers of cling film. To secure the lighter, you should mix a small amount of epoxy glue, apply it to the milk cap and glue the lighter. When everything has hardened, you need to take the device and remove the film from it. That's all, the lighter stand is ready. It can be removed at any time.
Cotton candy machine at home
For the machine to work successfully, you will need a container that will be filled with sugar. This container will be heated, causing the sugar to melt and rotate. As you rotate, thin strands of melted sugar will be ejected through the holes in the container. The container must be placed inside a large pan to contain the ejected threads.
First you need to select everything you need to make the device. These include components and tools.
Prepare the following tools:
— A drill and several drills. A thin (no more than one millimeter) drill is required. - Soldering iron. — A set of files. — Tin scissors and a can opener.
Components of the cotton candy machine:
— Jet lighter. These lighters are characterized by a blue flame and produce heat that is higher than the temperature of conventional lighters. At the same time, no soot is released during combustion. The lighter must be able to burn on its own, this is due to the fact that placing your hand with a lighter in a pan with flying sugar threads is somewhat inconvenient. — DC electric motor powered by low voltage (for example, nine volt). — The power source for the electric motor can be a simple battery. — A small tin can, preferably a tall one, for canned vegetables. — Small cap for installing the lighter, you can use a milk cap. - Large saucepan or bucket. — A relatively long stick, longer than the width of the pan. Any wooden plank or metal rod will do. — A rod or tube about fifteen centimeters long. — Bolt, nut and washer of small sizes.
Required parts and tools
So, as already mentioned, to make the apparatus you will need a large saucepan. But that's not all. You also need a special container where the sugar will be poured. The container must be made of fire-resistant material. After all, the sugar will heat up and melt in it. In this case, the container should rotate and throw out thin threads of cotton wool. Of course, that's not all. So, to create a machine for making cotton candy with your own hands, you will need the following tools:
- Several drills, it is advisable to have a very thin one on hand - no more than one millimeter in diameter, and a drill.
- Can opener or metal scissors.
- Set of files.
- Soldering iron.
Making cotton candy at home: step-by-step instructions. Review of the best devices
Making cotton candy at home: using a machine and without special equipment - a detailed description for a beginner. Secrets of regular and colored delicacies.
Content
Several centuries ago, making cotton candy was an expensive pleasure, and only very rich and influential people could afford this sweet delicacy. The reason is a labor-intensive, skill-requiring process. But in the last century everything changed: a device for producing sugar dessert was invented. The cooking process has become simpler, cheaper, and the delicacy more accessible. Today it can be prepared both in a confectionery factory and at home in your own kitchen.
Installing the container
It is worth making a hole in the tin can for attaching directly to the rod. The container will be secured using a nut and bolt. If desired, the can can simply be soldered to a metal rod or nailed to a wooden plank. However, bolt-on mounting is the best option, as it allows the container to be replaced.
The jar should be located above the fire source inside the pan or bucket.
Equipment for cotton candy
Typical equipment for making cotton candy is a special apparatus consisting of:
- metal box serving as a base for installing a stainless steel bowl
- bowls for collecting sugar strands
- a protective cap, which is a plastic hemisphere or catching mesh and prevents the spraying of sweet threads outside the bowl
To operate, the device requires an electrical network with a voltage of 220 V and 1 minute of warm-up time.
Important.
To produce 1 serving (depending on the volume of the product obtained) it takes no more than 30 seconds and about 20 grams of raw materials, which the operator pours into a special container before starting work.
Preparing the Can
So, the machine for cotton candy is practically made with your own hands. The tin can will serve as the container inside which the sugar will melt. To do this, you need to pour the product into it and spin it. A hole should be made along the top edge of the jar. The top cover must be completely removed. It is better to clean the edge with a file.
You need to make a lot of holes on the sides of the tin can, preferably near the bottom edge. To do this, you should use drills with the smallest diameter that exists. It is better to retreat one centimeter from the bottom seam, and only then can you make holes.
What should cotton candy sticks be like?
To collect the finished product, you also need sticks, on which the tasty threads are actually wound. Typically, several of these sticks for preparing test portions are included with the machine. Cotton candy sticks have certain parameters:
- They must be raw so that the sugar fiber does not stick along its entire length.
- Length is 25 – 35 cm (depending on the expected size of the treat)
- The sticks must be smooth, designed specifically for making cotton wool.
Before the process of preparing cotton candy, the sticks are taken out of the packaging in advance and placed in a container at least 35 cm high filled with water. Then, taking the stick by the remaining dry end, they vigorously begin to move it in a circle along the casing, while simultaneously rotating it in their hand. This way the sugar fiber will be wound around the stick, and the stick will collect the newly flying fiber.
Errors and violations of the technological process leading to a decrease in product quality
| Signs of violation | Causes | Elimination methods |
| The syrup splashes along the walls of the fence and flows down, the resulting threads stick together and do not form at all. | The syrup is not boiled down enough (during cooking the required temperature of 135 - 145*C is not reached). | When cooking, be sure to reach the desired temperature. Check that the thermometer is working properly. |
| When the desired temperature is reached, the syrup becomes sugared and loses its fluidity. | The quality of sugar is low, there are many impurities, perhaps the impurities got in during the cooking process. | Use refined sugar and use enamel cookware when cooking. |
| The syrup splashes and hardens on the walls of the fence, but threads do not form. | The disk speed is too high or the disk diameter is too small | Adjust the indicators to the required ones (at increased speeds, you can achieve a positive result by proportionally reducing the diameter of the disk and vice versa). |
| Threads are formed, but there are many drops of curds in the layer of cotton wool. | The syrup is boiled too much, or the speed and/or diameter of the disk is too small, or the surface of the disk is too dirty. | Strictly observe the temperature regime, check the disk rotation speed, clean the disk after each working cycle. |
| The resulting layer of cotton wool quickly settles and sticks together. | The air humidity and/or temperature is too high. | Ventilate the room or use a drier and cooler room, and close the device with the lid. |
| The finished product tastes like burnt sugar. | The cooking temperature is too high or the heating element is too powerful. | Do not allow the temperature to exceed, reduce the power of the heating element. |
Review of popular machines for making cotton candy
Today, in the domestic market of household and industrial electrical equipment, machines for making cotton candy are represented mainly by manufacturers from Germany, China and Russia. The products of three brands are in greatest demand among consumers:
They managed to combine quality, a wide range of models and affordable prices.
Airhot
The Chinese company Airhot has been a reliable supplier of equipment for catering and home kitchens for two decades. Airhot kitchen appliances designed for the production of cotton candy have the following advantages:
- ease of use
- modern design
- manufacturability
It is intended for preparing regular treats and those with fillings. Airhot models have qualities that are important for kitchen appliances: robust construction and compactness. The most popular machine for the production of cotton candy of this brand is AIRHOT CF–1. It fits easily on a standard kitchen shelf. Its height is no more than 50 cm, length, depth - 45 cm. In addition, it is not afraid of damage during heavy use. Its body is made of durable material.
Homeclub
The Homeclub cotton candy machine is quite inexpensive and compact; it comes with:
- measuring spoon
- 10 bamboo sticks for winding cotton wool
- Detailed operating instructions
The bowl is very easy to remove, easy to use, easy to disassemble and assemble.
Attention!
Cheap models, popular among housewives, have a small bowl and therefore are not suitable for large parties with many guests.
But such a device will delight participants in small home celebrations with a small but welcome delicacy.
Gastrorag
Gastrorag cotton candy machines are lightweight and therefore do not cause problems during transportation. It can simply be easily carried in your hands.
Attention!
The Gastrorag device has high performance: it can prepare a portion in just 12 seconds.
The device does not require careful maintenance. It is enough to periodically clean the bowl of any remaining sweet threads. This device is durable and strong.
Expensive but economical
Domestic and foreign devices differ in price. Saving on a purchase is not always the right decision (an exception is appliances for the home). If a person wants to open his own business, he should carefully approach the choice and weigh the pros and cons.
Although foreign equipment has a high price, it allows you to save on electrical costs and time for preparing one portion. Such devices are easier to maintain and repair.
You can also buy budget versions, but you should pay attention to the choice of company. It is better to purchase the product from a reputable manufacturer that has been supplying similar products for a long time. So, the chance of encountering a defective model is minimal.
Another important nuance is the bowl. It is better to purchase options made of metal. They are highly reliable and will last twice as long as plastic options, and these are important parameters when purchasing a device for commercial use.
In order for the device to last longer than the established period, it is necessary not only to use it carefully and not subject it to high loads, but also to constantly care for it. After each working day, the main parts should be washed and cleared of waste that has accumulated during this time.
Making cotton candy using a special machine: step-by-step instructions
To get a sweet cloud of airy, delicate sweet delicacy, it is not enough to purchase a device, study the instructions and strictly follow them. You need to know the nuances of preparation, which are not mentioned in the instructions.
It’s easy to learn how to make cotton candy by reading the step-by-step instructions for preparing the delicacy:
- Wash the new device thoroughly using special detergent and hot water.
- Dry all components
- Warm up the device for 10 minutes
- Pour 3 tsp onto the disc. Sahara.
- When the melted product turns into thin threads, they are transferred to a special bamboo stick:
- the stick is lowered vertically into the bowl, in which threads begin to wrap around it due to rotation, forming a fluffy ball
- The fibers remaining on the sides of the container are picked up using a stick
Inexpensive devices heat up quickly, so if you use them for a long time, you need to turn them off from time to time.
The secret of colored cotton candy
You can get colored cotton candy in several ways:
- By adding food coloring
- Using special sugar syrups to make treats. Several companies are involved in their production. Each syrup has its own taste and color. All syrups are thoroughly tested for safety and the absence of chemical dyes and flavor enhancers, so even children with allergies can consume it without fear.
- Making your own dyes based on natural products:
- Beet juice concentrate can give a color from bright red to blue-violet
- paprika extract gives all shades of yellow, up to red-orange, and also has a persistent antiseptic effect, has a positive effect on digestion
- Turmeric root extract and saffron can also be used to obtain yellow color
- spinach will give a rich green
- purple can be obtained through the use of black currants, as well as dark grape skins
Using dyes made from healthy natural products, the housewife will not only please her family with a delicious dessert, but will also take care of their health.
