Cotton Candy Machine Usage
Whether you’re raising money for a charity event, own a food truck, or are throwing a neighborhood block party, a cotton candy machine will always gather a crowd. Better yet, cotton candy consumption is on the rise, setting your pocketbook up for a promising future. But deciding what to sell at a concession stand is only half the battle. How do you use a cotton candy machine, anyway?
This complete guide will tell you everything you need to know about cotton candy machine usage, including how to work one, pro tips for beginners, and the best type of sugar for making the tastiest, fluffiest, and most sought-after cotton candy around.
How To Use a Cotton Candy Machine
Supplies
- Floss sugar
- Cotton candy cones
- Plastic bag/airtight container
Step 1. Gather your supplies
Cotton candy tends to have a mind of its own when it first comes out of the machine, so you’ll want all your fairy floss supplies at the plate and ready to bat–especially the wand. To get started, you’ll need your choice flavor of floss sugar, a cotton candy wand or cone, and an airtight container or plastic bag if you’re saving it for later.
Pro Tip: Try substituting your cotton candy cone for a fun alternative. You can use just about anything as long as it’s long enough to hold both hand and candy. Some crowd favorites are spun dixie sugar sticks, rainbow lollipops, rock candy strings, and even glow sticks.
Step 2. Pour floss sugar into the spinner head
While the machine is still turned off, take your choice flavor of floss sugar and pour it into the spinner head until it is 90% of the way full (this is the opening in the center of the machine). Be very careful not to overfill past this mark.
Pro Tip: The machine must be turned off for this step, as the spinner head rotates at a very high RPM. Adding the floss sugar while the head is moving can cause it to spin free and get into your eyes. For this reason, you should always look away from the cotton candy maker when you first turn it on.
Step 3. Turn on the machine
Okay, okay, now you can turn it on. Depending on your machine’s make and model, you might have to wait anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes before the cotton candy is ready for takeoff.
Pro Tip: The optimal temperature range for making cotton candy is between 260℉-445℉. Cooking the sugar at a lower temperature will create a lighter consistency, whereas higher temperatures will produce a tougher, more brittle texture. What you never want is burning or smoking sugar. If this happens, merely reduce the heat.
Step 4. Collect the cotton candy
So the cotton candy is spewing out of the machine, but how do you swathe a perfect cotton candy cone when all it seems to want to do is careen around any attempt at collection? Easy. Stick your wand into the fray, spinning it between your fingers in a 360° motion. During this process, you can also gently scrape your growing bundle along the sides of the pan to round it off and give it that iconic, conical shape.
Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble getting the floss to initially stick, you can add a touch of water to the cone. But be careful! You don’t want to add too much or the cotton candy will melt on contact.
Step 5. Enjoy or Store
Once you’ve created the perfect cotton candy cone, it’s time to serve and enjoy. Air humidity is not your friend here, so for the freshest results, eat the cotton candy as soon as possible.
However, if you plan on selling or saving it for later, then put it in a plastic bag or air-tight container to preserve its consistency and lock out as much moisture as possible.
The goal is a flossy, cloud-like nostalgia that melts on your tongue, not a drab, gelatinized version of it.
Pro Tip: It’s most likely that if you’ve gone through the trouble of whipping out your cotton candy machine, you’re planning on making more than just one or two cones, which means you’ll eventually need to add more floss sugar to the spinner head. Remember to always turn off the machine before doing so, even between batches.
Can You Use Regular Sugar for Cotton Candy Machines?
Do not use regular sugar in your cotton candy maker. Doing so can damage the heating element, clog the filter, or result in low-quality cotton candy. That’s because floss sugar, or cotton candy sugar, has a special ingredient called flossine, which is responsible for cotton candy’s signature taste, fluff, and color.
Additionally, making cotton candy requires a specific size of sugar granular that you might not always find at the grocery store. Too coarse a grain and you can clog your machine, whereas, too fine and you run the risk of an end product with a slightly charred taste. Sugar used in cotton candy has to be 100% beet or cane sugar with a medium coarse. Anything else will damage the machine.