SC - Sweets to serve with hot drinks

[CBlackwill at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/26/00 9:26:41 PM Pacific Daylight Time, stefan at texas.net 
writes:

> Do any of you candy makers have any idea why this recipe calls for this
>  to be put alternatively near the fire and away from it? What does this
>  do that putting it in a spot between the two and just leaving it there
>  would do? I'm assuming you are stirring continuously in either case.
>  

You are trying to control the temperature of the mixture.  This is also a 
common practice when making a standard Hollandaise sauce.  Little spurts of 
heat are more easy to control and manage than a constant heat source, which, 
in this case, might make the sugar burn.  Once sugar reaches a particular 
temperature, the changes which lead to caramelization occur quite rapidly.  
It is this very volatile nature which makes sugar work (particularly pulled 
sugar) so daunting and intense.

Balthazar of Blackmoor
(who DOES get bored when doing pulled sugar work...at least until the pulling 
starts)

Mr. Wizard, what happens when you combine pasta and antipasta?