Caramel for many centuries, is one of the most favorite delicacies Sweet worldwide. Once, when sugar was expensive and little affordable product, caramel desserts were intended mainly for the rich. Today, various candy (and there are about eighty varieties of dessert) is popular in all parts of society.

History of candy

The French word "candy" comes from the Latin «cannamella», which means "sugar cane". Legend has it that in ancient times, people roasted stems of reeds on fire to give a semblance of modern sweets. Generally, with caramel, as with any old enough dish associated with many legends. For example, one of them says that the dessert was invented by Scottish housewife who accidentally dropped a candle in a pot with sugar.

In any case, the process of caramelization mankind acquainted long enough. Melted sugar, confectioners obtained viscous mass, which on cooling becomes hard and brittle. Adding to the sugar syrup fruit juices could get fruit caramel, and with the addition of chopped nuts obtained roasted nuts Grilyazh: French sweetness of Oriental origin . Today called caramel confection, which is produced uvarivaya sugar syrup with glucose syrup and invert syrup. Recent ingredients serve to prevent sugar crystallization.

Caramel is a solid or plastic. The first version - the basis for the production of a plurality of sweets, the second is more commonly used as an ingredient in desserts - cakes, ice cream with caramel. Hard candy and prepare festive decorations for cakes, candy bouquets and even sculpture. There are even such masterpieces of pity: they are often so beautiful that I want them just to admire the infinite. Due to the special treatment of curly caramel can retain their properties for a long time, so you can properly enjoy the view of gourmet sweets before its tasting.

Caramel rolls was invented in 1899 when a German pharmacist Carl Soldan invented by a sugar coating to mask the taste good medicine for his daughter. Child happily started eating sweet candy stuffed with useful and enterprising father started producing medical desserts. So there were cough lozenges, syrups, menthol and eucalyptus, and later and fortified candy.

In the candy shell and to this day, "wrap" a variety of fillings - fruit, cream, chocolate, alcohol, healing. Caramel rolls - one of the most accessible and favorite delicacies.

Varieties of sweets

Depending on the method for preparing hard candy is divided into several types:

• Candy. This kind of candy is made entirely from sugar mass;
• With filling. Under the hard candy shell of candy hiding various fillings;
• Soft. Liquid caramel used for decorating desserts and give them a special flavor and creamy-yellow tint;
• Dairy. Money supply is produced from sugar with the addition of milk, cream and butter. Typically, a milk caramel soft and gentle than candy;
• Fortified caramel occupies an intermediate position between candy and medicine. It not only allows you to "sweeten" life, but also helps in fighting avitaminosis;
• Medical candy - an indispensable tool with angina, cough, and sometimes cold. The structure of these caramels contains extracts of herbs that have a local impact on the throat and bronchi.

Sometimes caramel sweets glazed with a thin layer of chocolate - this increases their calorie content, but makes the taste richer. Many love the caramel with dusting of icing sugar or cocoa. Smart looks glossy caramel coated with a thin layer of grease or wax, which protects against moisture sugar mass. The surface is covered with caramel kondirovannoy sugar crust and sugar-coated caramel treated with sugar syrup, sprinkled with powdered sugar, then covered with gloss.

Tasty, but harmful

Like other products based on sugar, caramel - enough calorie product, depending on the type of a 100 grams candy contains about 400 kcal. At the same time, paradoxically, there are diets on the basis of caramel: during the day you can not eat anything except these candies. It is unlikely that such a diet can be called balanced, but a sweet tooth from him in delight. And this food really helps to lose weight: contained in caramel sugar suppresses the feeling of hunger Psychology and physiology of hunger - the two sides of the same coin It improves mood and gives you energy. And eat a lot of candy hard enough: the sugary taste of these sweets get bored. However, nutritionists do not recommend to stick to a diet for a longer or shorter time: candies contain only "empty" calories, and the body quickly begins to experience a shortage of fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

High levels of sugar in the candy provoked a sharp rise in blood sugar. For this reason, diabetics should not eat candy. Limit sweets such need and those who suffer from excess weight. The teeth also suffer from caramel: being in the mouth for a long time, sweetie change the acid-base balance and contribute to the development of caries.

The most dangerous recognized caramel bright colors containing in its composition, artificial colors and flavors, which can cause allergic reactions. Such sweets should be avoided. And will treat soft caramel should immediately then brush your teeth.

Notable caramel sweets include organic fruits, enclosed in a candy shell: sugar are relatively few, but good - more than enough. If necessary, useful as therapeutic types of caramel extracts of herbs and vitamins Vitamins for everyone . But they, too, it is better not to get involved, and the choice to try to give preference to candy, which contain a minimum quantity of sugar.

Maria Bykov

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