When is National Hard Candy Day?
Tuesday December 19thNational Hard Candy Day, a favorite of young and old alike, recognizes the sweet tooth in all of us.
The majority of hard candies are sugar free with flavoring and colors added. Confectioners boil a sugar syrup to 320 degrees Fahrenheit in order to make a hard candy. Once the temperature is reached, the hot, pliable sugar is poured into molds, rolled and folded into shapes and left to cool. Solid sugar becomes hardened and brittle once cool, and brittle.
The first hard candies, such as lemon drops and peppermints, were likely to be used as a stomach remedy.
As sugar prices dropped, hard candy became a hit in the seventeenth century. Hard candy was something that only the wealthy could afford back in the days. Over 400 firms were manufacturing this popular snack by the mid-1800s.
Jolly Rancher's Original became the best-selling hard candy in 2015, beating Werther's Original as the best-selling hard candy. Dum Pops, Life Savers, Tootsie Roll Pops, and Charms Blow Pop are among the many popular hard candies.
