Calcium chloride, how to use it with candy

ECalcium chloride is an inorganic chemical compound (CaCl2) with various uses. It is a calcium salt widely used as a food additive. In the EU, it has the code E509.

Industrial sector

In concrete mixes to accelerate drying or to maintain a stable pH in pool water and control its hardness.

Pharmaceutical sector

To control mineral deficiencies in the body or as a substitute for adrenaline in cardiorespiratory arrests, among other uses.

Food sector

• For use in molecular gastronomy in the making of spherifications.
• To aid in the curdling of cheeses.
• To control the pH in a solution during brewing
• As a firming agent for cooked vegetables and fruits, giving them a firmer texture.
• To retain moisture in food and reduce its freezing point.

For those of us who work with isomalt sugar, what matters most in the world of candy is the desiccant or moisture-absorbing power of calcium chloride. Calcium chloride is the most effective material on the market for absorbing moisture, as it absorbs more than 100% of its weight in water. Thanks to its hygroscopic properties, it has the ability to absorb moisture from its surroundings.

An optimal level of ambient humidity for working with caramel is between 40% and 60%. But when it comes to preservation, the levels drop, and the optimal relative humidity ranges from 30% to 50%, depending on whether it’s caramel or isomalt sugar. In humid climates, it’s impossible to achieve these humidity levels in the air, making it essential to work with the caramel using calcium chloride. Although working with caramel is easier in dry climates, without a desiccant for preservation, the piece will begin to lose its shine after a few hours.

There are other desiccants such as silica gel (insufficient for caramel), but none are as clever and effective as calcium chloride, which It absorbs excess ambient humidity until it reaches its optimal level. Calcium chloride absorbs moisture until the piece reaches a balance between internal and external humidity, preventing anything preserved with calcium chloride from drying out.

Ideally, you should use an insulated box, but if you don’t have one, you can use any airtight container, like a plastic storage box for clothes or a Tupperware container. The important thing is that it’s airtight. Cardboard boxes won’t work because they’re porous, even if they’re thick. Place a sheet of parchment paper at the bottom of the box, then spread a thin layer of calcium chloride over the entire base. Next, place another sheet of parchment paper on top to ensure that anything you put inside doesn’t touch the calcium chloride.

How do I know when to change the calcium chloride?

Obviously, the more we open that box, the more moisture will enter it. When it starts absorbing moisture, the flakes begin to produce brine or saltpeter, but this always happens from the outside in. So, when we notice that the corners and edges have hardened, we simply need to remove them from the box, and the rest will still be usable.

This article was written as part of the notes for my presentation on May 5, 2020 entitled: “Caramel, from Creation to Plate”, at the Jordi Bordas and Sweethome Talk Online Pastry Congress.

Mayte Rodríguez.