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Archives (2001)
Rock candy: A 'tasteful'
example of a profitable home business
by Mary Charlotte O. Fresco |
July-September
2001
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Many of us may not have heard of rock candy.
A luscious crystallized sugar on stick which offers a wide
range of opportunities to become a profitable home business.
 Rock
candy production is believed to have originated in China for
the preparation of gift and souvenir during special occasions
such as wedding and holidays. In the United States, rock candy
is used as coffee and tea sweeteners.
Rock candy differs from other sugar-based confectionaries
in the sense that it is crystalline and composed mainly of
pure sucrose from sugarcane, which makes it beneficial to
human health.
In the Philippines, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA)
has tested and evaluated the method of producing rock candy
through a simple process that requires small capital and readily
available equipment and materials.
Here is a simple method developed by SRA in
making rock candy.
- Dissolve 250 grams of white sugar per 100
ml of potable water to form a heavy syrup or sugar solution.
- Transfer the solution into an aluminium or ice cream can.
- Heat the solution to a temperature not exceeding 110O until
sugar is completely dissolved.
- Crystallize the solution by placing it at room temperature
for about 6 weeks.
- Allow the syrup to cool to approximately 40-50O before
dipping the sticks sprinkled with sugar crystal.
- Loosen the sticks every 2 to 3 days to prevent them from
sticking to each other.
- Put food color and flavor to some while others may be allowed
to crystallize at their own natural color and flavor.
- When the crystal grows to approximately 5-10 mm, dry the
product by air or oven.
Ideal rock candy weighs one gram (for candy purposes) and
15 grams for tea or coffee sweetening. One may experiment
to come up with several flavors such as mint, strawberry and
orange.
Based on the results of the test conducted by SRA, white or
refined sugar produced twice more rock candies compared to
brown sugar for the same crystallization process (time and
condition).
The cost and benefit analysis made by SRA showed
that a net income of P3,100 could be generated for every 800
sticks of candies using 25 kilos of refined/white sugar. This
technology is being promoted as a micro business venture and
livelihood opportunities for the low-income group in the countryside.
(For more information please contact, Ms.
Nora I. Chinjen, Sugar & Sugar By-products Utilization
Department, Sugar Regulatory Administration, North Avenue,
Quezon City at Tel. No. 926-7006.)
More Articles:
Vol. 3 No. 3 July-September 2001
»»
USM recommends high-yielding rubber clones
»» GMA okays
P2B R&D Fund
»» New
sciences to produce more food
»» Five
cacao clones now ready for farmer use
»» NIRDEAP
for rubber: stretching opportunities for rubber industry
»» Rubber:
the oozing tree
»» Village
processing technologies: approach to solve low production of rubber
»» Smallholder
rubber farming system "no break" in farmers' income
»»
NIRDEAP for coffee: perking up the coffee sector
»» Clonal
propagation in coffee: a promising technology
»» How
to raise healthy cacao seedlings
»» Earning
more from canes
»» Coping
with acidic soils
»» Muscovado:
the promise of the 'other sugar'
»» Rock
candy: a 'tasteful' example of a profitable home business
»» Propagating
cacao by nodal grafting
»»
Making vinegar a business venture
»» The
Philippine coffee industry: a profile
»» Prospects
in cocoa
[More
2001 Articles]
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