Q&A for How to Make Sugar Glass

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  • Question
    What size baking sheet was used in the instructions?
    Community Answer
    It appears to be an 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" pan. The larger the pan, the thinner the glass.
  • Question
    Why did my glass turn out dark?
    Community Answer
    Did you use light or dark corn syrup? Dark corn syrup will give you a darker color. The temperature might also have been too high. Cook your candy over medium heat, and don't let it get hotter than 320°F (160°C). The sugar may also have boiled too quickly and caramelized.
  • Question
    Can I use sugar glass for movies?
    Community Answer
    Yes, sugar glass is used as a breakaway glass in many movies and TV shows.
  • Question
    Can I do a marble effect and add different colors? Will it affect the candy itself?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can create a marble effect by using food coloring. It will not affect the candy. Just place around two drops of coloring in the mold and swirl it.
  • Question
    How long and where should I conserve it?
    Community Answer
    Sugar glass lasts quite a while. You can freeze it and it will last for years, or short term to keep it from getting sticky, place the pieces in a plastic ware container with a piece of paper in between each, and put it in the fridge.
  • Question
    Why did my candy turn out gooey?
    Community Answer
    Your candy might not have gotten hot enough. It needs to reach 300°F (148.89°C) before you take it off the heat.
  • Question
    Why did the temperature suddenly stop rising?
    Community Answer
    If the temperature stopped rising around 210 and 240°F (98.89 and 115.56°C), this is normal. This is because the water is evaporating. Once the water evaporates, the temperature will start rising again. If the temperature was not around 210 and 240°F (98.89 and 115.56°C), check to see that the pot is centered on the burner and getting even heat.
  • Question
    Can I reuse the candy that did not turn out right?
    Community Answer
    You might be able to break it up into smaller pieces, and melting it in the oven on a baking sheet.
  • Question
    Can I do a marble effect with the food coloring, so that there are swirls of color?
    Community Answer
    Yes. All you do is add one or two drops of food coloring to the sugar mix after you place in mold and swirl.
  • Question
    How can I make my candy turn clear again?
    Community Answer
    Unfortunately, it is not possible to make candy turn clear once it caramelizes. The best thing for you to do is to eat it and start over.
  • Question
    Is there a substitute for cream of tartar?
    Community Answer
    I used baking soda, and it turned out the same.
  • Question
    How can I make the candy less sticky?
    Community Answer
    Sugar glass will get sticky over time because of the humidity in the air. However, you can make it feel less sticky by dusting some powdered sugar or cornstarch. Keep in mind that this may turn the candy cloudy, just frosted glass.
  • Question
    Can you eat a sugar bottle?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can eat it, although it is not recommended that you do so in one sittting. That is too much sugar to eat all at once!
  • Question
    Will this recipe be rough on my normal pans? Should I be picking up a cheap pot I don't care about ruining?
    Community Answer
    It will be fine on your normal pans. The sugar glass will harden on the inside. Don't try to chip it out too much, just pour in hot water; the sugar glass will dissolve, and your pan will be as clean as it was when you started.
  • Question
    My glass turned opaque seconds after I finished pouring it. What did I do, and how do I fix it next time?
    Community Answer
    That's caused by overheating. Use a lower temperature, and take your container away from the heat when most of the sugar is liquid (when it still has a few pebbles of sugar). The heating container will retain heat for minutes afterward, which is enough to fully melt the remaining solid sugar.
  • Question
    Can I use glucose syrup rather than light corn syrup?
    Community Answer
    Yes, they are interchangeable. The only real difference is that glucose, being an invert sugar, will not return to crystal form.
  • Question
    Can I use maple syrup for this?
    Community Answer
    No, you should probably stick to the corn syrup. Substances like honey and maple syrup are too soft and will most likely result in a sticky end result.
  • Question
    Can you cool the sugar glass quicker? Can I put it in the fridge for a little while?
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can put it in the fridge.
  • Question
    Can I pour sugar glass into cookie cutter shapes such as small leaves? I wanted to make a candy dish of glass leaves, different colors and flavors.
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can. Coat a metal cookie cutter with cooking spray (oil) or coconut oil and place onto silicone baking sheet or parchment paper (oil coated). They also make hard candy molds for this exact purpose. Some are hard plastic, some are silicone, just make sure they are for high heat "hard candy" or you might melt the plastic/rubber. Ones designed for chocolate may not withstand high heat.
  • Question
    Do they use real glass in movies?
    Community Answer
    No, they use sugar glass because it is less likely to cause injuries for actors and stunt doubles alike.
  • Question
    How would I shape the sugar glass into a beer bottle
    Community Answer
    Make a silicon mold using a real beer bottle and then pour it in and roll it around till it is coated.
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