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Best Pots for Candy Making
What are the Best Pots for Candy Making? While a standard pots can be used for candy making, there are some specialized pots that makes it easier. Double Boiler, Copper pots and Jam Pots are a favorite among confectioner. These specialized pots can do one thing really well, that is heat control. However what most people dont know is that unlined copper cookware has a special property. They help bind egg whites and improve the Jellifying process of Jam. Because of this, Copper Cookware are Considered to be the Best Pots for Candy Making.
Best Pots for Candy Making List
Below, you will find a list of some of the Best Pot for making candy.
Mauviel M’Passion Sugar Pot (Sauce Pot)
Mauviel is one of the few manufacturer that makes pot specialized for making candy. They are one of the oldest copper cookware manufacturer around. Known for their copper cookware, their quality and finish is unrivaled. Their M’passion Sugar Pot is unlined and perfect for making caramel.
However, if you want a pot that can be used for everyday use and making candy, All Clad Copper Core is responsive and can work just as well.
All Clad Baine Marie
All Clad manufacturer baine marie just like how a traditional baine marie is. They uses a stainless steel or a copper core construction. They are more durable than your traditional copper pot and they hold a lifetime warranty. You cant go wrong with it.
However, if you still want the traditional Copper Baine Marie, Mauviel still makes it.
Mauviel M’Passion 2193.36 (Best Copper Jam Pot)
There are few choices in this category. Luckily, Mauviel make these jam pots as well. They are unlined and helps jam set better than a traditional pot. They come in quite a few sizes as well, so pick one that sutis your need. If you want the full copper jam making, then I recommend getting the copper utensils also.
Check The Best Price
Mauviel Made In France M’Passion 2191.20 Copper 8-Inch
While it may seem that I have a preference for Mauviel, they really do make the best copper cookware. The gauge is thicker than the rest. The brass ring is also quite substantial, especially compared to other manufacturer.
Is the Best Pots for Candy Making Copper?
Copper is a popular metal among french chef. They have one of the best heat conductivity out of all the metal out there. As such, it gets hots the fastest and can adapt to changes in heat the best. This ensure that heat will be even from the bottom of the pot to the top. This will also prevent scorching and burning of your candy. However, there are some issues with copper in itself.
One of the biggest factor that drive off people is the price. It is by far the most expensive metal used for cooking. The second factor is the weight, most home cook simply cant stand how heavy it is. Finally, is the reactivity of the copper. If faced with acidic food, copper can dissolve and leach into the food. It will impart a metallic taste to it. While copper is an essential nutrient for the human body. If consumed in a too high of a rate, it can induce vomiting. To get around this, manufacturer will line copper with either stainless steel or tin.
Why are some Copper Pot Unlined
But you might ask the question, why are copper candy pot unlined? Wouldn’t it react with food? Yes, it will react with food but mostly with acidic food. The copper content that you get from non acidic food is so low that it wont matter.
There is also some other benefits to an unlined copper, namely how it reacts with certain chemical. For example, when you make Jam. According to Herve in his book Molecular Gastronomy, pectin contains carboxylic acid which repels each other, giving it a chance of not setting. With an unlined copper pot, the copper reduces this effects and helps it thicken and gellified. While you can do this with a more acidic solution like lemon juice. Adding tartness to a Jam is not always ideal.
Another benefit that unlined Copper has is that dissolved copper acts as a stabilizing agent for egg whites. This means that when you are whipping egg whites to make meringue or foam, it will form its shape better than an lined copper pot. Because of these reason, you can often find unlined copper cookware dedicated for making Jams and Caramel.
Specialty Cookware For Candy Making
There are a few pots available that specializes in candy making. All of them do one thing very well, heat control. As you may or may not know, sugar caramelize or burn at a higher rate. A ten second interval can be the difference from perfection to burnt. This is common knowledge to those who had made caramel or chocolate. One tool to combat this is called a Bain Marie or a Double Boiler.
Double Boiler
What a Double Boiler is a two tiered pot. On a traditional Baine Marie, the top portion will be ceramic. The bottom will be a copper pot for heating up water. The steam generated from the water will gently heat up the porcelain pot gently heating the content. This lets cook slowly raise and adjust the temperature.
When chocolatiere makes chocolate, they will often time temper chocolate to stabilize the crystal structure. If not done at the proper temperature, the chocolate will lose its texture and snap that we all love. You have probably unknowingly dealt with this before. Remember when your chocolate melted and you stick it in the fridge? That soft texture is result of unstabilized crystal.
Copper Jam Pot
Unlined copper jam pots are a popular choice among jam maker. They are wide and typically have a very large capacity. Often time you will find it with unlined copper utensils. The reason for it being unlined was already discussed before so I wont get into that. But you will often find that these copper jam pot have a hammered finish. This hammered finish helps anneal the copper and give it structural rigidity. One thing to note is that the finish can dull and patina with use. So do not be surprised if that beautiful mirror sheen is ruined after the first use.
Unlined Copper Pot
This is a traditional pot that is just straight copper. There is no lining like tin or stainless steel that might hinder the ability of the copper to conduct heat. This helps it heat up and cool down fastest. This is important for when you caramelize sugar and make confectionery in general. Quite a few french manufacturer make these type of pot and they usually come with a built in pouring spout.
Copper Whisking Bowl
These bowls are made of pure copper. They are typically used to whisk egg whites to make meringue. While you can normally use it for whisking, you can also put it on top of a sauce pot for a makeshift double boiler.
Best Pots for Candy Making Thoughts
These are some of the most commonly used cookware in Candy Making. Whether you think these pots are worth it depends on your situation. If you are a professional or simply just love making candy, I highly recommend it. If not, you can still get away with a traditional pot and pan set.
I hope you like this Best Pots for Candy Making article, If you would like to see more, please visit our Pots and Pans Review page.