Spun Sugar Crown Recipes

SPUN-SUGAR CROWN

Steps:

• Using masking tape, attach 2 wooden spoons to the counter, placing them side by side with the handles extended over the edge. Lightly oil the handles. Cover floor with newspaper.
• Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Cook until mixture turns pale amber and registers 300 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 2 minutes. Stir in beeswax. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 250 degrees.
• Cut the looped ends of a wire whisk with wire cutters (or use 2 forks held back to back). Dip ends into caramel. From about 2 feet above spoon handles, swing caramel back and forth like a pendulum in long arcs, allowing strands to fall in thin threads over the handles. Immediately gather strands into a nest.

SPUN SUGAR

Steps:

• Mix the ingredients together in a medium pot and, using a pastry brush soaked in water, wash down the sides of the pot to make sure there is no caramelization to color the sugar before you get to temperature.
• Heat the ingredients on the stove top to 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and cool to 275 degrees over a water bath.
• Dip a fork in the sugar syrup and stretch the sugar syrup back and forth across the bottom of a pre-greased bowl, going as quickly as possible. Gently gather the spun sugar and place it on a dessert plate.

SPUN SUGAR FOR SUGAR PLUM FAIRY

Steps:

• Cover a 4-by-5-foot area of floor with parchment or newspaper. Set a pasta drying rack or a wooden drying rack on the paper, and coat well with cooking spray.
• Combine sugar, the water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan; stir to combine. Place pan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down any sugar crystals on sides of pan. Clip on a candy thermometer; cook, without stirring, until temperature reaches 290 to 295 degrees.
• Remove from heat; let sit for about 5 minutes, until very fine threads form when whisk is lifted from sugar. Dip whisk into sugar; swing over rack, using a quick motion, to create long threads.
• When rack is coated with a thin cobweb-like layer of sugar, lift it in one piece from rack, and roll it gently into a ball. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until 12 balls are formed.

SPUN SUGAR CROWNS

Steps:

• Secure a long-handled wooden spoon under a heavy cutting board on the edge of counter, with the handle facing out and extending over the edge. Place newspaper on the floor, directly under the cutting board.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and the water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Cook until mixture turns pale amber and registers 300°F (hard-crack stage) on the candy thermometer. Plunge pan into ice bath to stop the cooking; let cool, stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 250°F.
• Dip the tines of a fork into caramel. Holding fork about 2 feet above spoon handle, swing caramel back and forth like a pendulum in long arcs, allowing strands to fall in threads over the handles. Let stand until ready to use, then gently gather some of the strands into a ball, shaping with the palms of your hands. Repeat to make 12 crowns.