Discover How Humidity Affects Homemade Candies

How to make rock candy at home

Believe it or not, humidity, or the total moisture content of the air, also has an impact in the final outcome of your homemade candy. In fact, many seasoned candy makers recommend that you start experimenting with candy recipes when it is not too humid.

Humidity can make caramels and other candies sticky, and this can make removal from candy molds even harder.  To avoid this conundrum, it is recommended that you work in a cool part of your home.  You can also buy a dehumidifier if you plan to make regular batches of candy over the months.

The dehumidifier will ensure that your candies will emerge in prime form, minus the extra stickiness.  The ideal humidity for making candy is no more than 35%. The 25% - 35% range is good; but if the humidity is 50% or more, you may want to reschedule your candy making for another day.

Now, if you are having trouble with moist sugar (which can also be the result of high humidity), you can place your granulated sugar or brown sugar in a plastic container and seal it tightly.  Use a silicone-based gel desiccant to help draw out excess moisture from the sugar. 

Stay tune for more tips about how to make rock candy at home.