Sugar Cookery and Artificial SweetnersFCS 175- Lab # 3Jacki Raivo 9/19/11Introduction: To observe the effects of ingredient manipulation and end point temperatures on the sensory quality of crystalline and amorphous candies.Hydroscopic: Tool/Device used to measure things underwater. A candy thermometer would be an example.GRAS: “Generally Recognized As Safe”Crystalline: Forms crystals so the fudge that was made in lab was crystalline. Ice cream is also only with ice crystals.Non-crystalline: Is amorphous and the molecular structure doesn’t organize itself to form crystals. The caramel made in lab is an example, as well as any hard candy.Supersaturated: The amount of a substance that can be saturated in a liquid by heating which saturates in ahigher concentration than room temperature saturation alone. Methods and Results: In activity one part A fudge was made using water to determine the sugar crystal size with different ingredients. Bitter sweet chocolate was cut in to small pieces and added to a small saucepan with sugar, salt and water. Once all the ingredients were dissolved they were boiled to a temp of 234 F. Once that temperature was reached butter and vanilla was added and the pan was taken off to coolᵒuntil it reached 110 F. Then the fudge was whipped until creamy and had a dull luster. It was then pouredᵒinto an oiled pan and cooled. At this point the sugar crystals would have formed and the fudge would have hardened but since water was used only the very top had any crystal formation and the rest was soupy rather like chocolate syrup. It could have also been from the thermometer that was used wasn’t calibrated right and it may or may not have reached the proper temperature in order to manipulate the ingredients into a candy.Activity two was to make three cups of instant coffee and add three different artificial sweeteners to each. The sweeteners used were regular table sugar, sucralose (splenda) and aspartame. The activity was conducted to determine the difference between artificial sweeteners and regular sugar. The coffee with regular sugar was the least sweet even with two tablespoons but it did bring out the bitter coffee taste. TheSplenda was the second sweetest, but a sweet all its own. It made the coffee taste weak and the sweetness weak, bland. There was a very overpowering taste of splenda not just a sweetener. Splenda was the worst tasting. The Aspartame was the sweetest by far and still brought out the coffee flavor with a sweet after-taste. Discussion: In the fudge activity it’s important to supersaturate the liquid so the sugar crystals canform and with water it doesn’t do that nor with corn syrup. Regular whole milk works the best and is the original recipe. Proper heating is crucial in manipulating sugar in candy making. The caramels turned out perfect that was activity one part B. Caramels don’t form crystals they are amorphous. The soft caramels had a sweet light flavor and a gel-like consistency, whereas the hard caramels had a deep, complex flavor that was hard to chew but otherwise delicious. In the coffee activity I don’t think I would ever want to use artificial sweeteners even though they pack a sweeter punch for fewer calories. I don’t drink soda or coffee for one thing so that’s a moot point but the controversy surrounding artificial sweeteners as possibly carcinogenic is a big turnoff. I’d rather save some bees and eat honey. The idea of Stevia pops up too when talking about artificial sweeteners as a natural plant based sweetener but let me tell you stevia is disgusting andtastes like sickly sweet plant. My mom grows it in her herb beds and puts it in everything and its easily distinguished in foods and teas.Summary: Heating and temperature are important in the manipulation of sugar in candy making, whethercrystalline or non-crystalline. Artificial sweeteners were compared to see the difference in sweetness in coffee. This information will help me in my chosen field because I now know how to make fudge and willmake red velvet fudge for Xmas. As well as understanding the science behind Mom’s burnt sugar frostingthat I could never replicate. As far as candy making, they’d make a nice touch on cupcakes or wedding cakes. As for artificial sweeteners I, being as organic and clean living as possible, would not use them or advocate the use of them. As it is I use organic raw sugar in all my Gluten Free