What is cotton candy’s flavor? The flavor of cotton candy is a mixture of Artificial flavors, Ethyl Maltol, Strawberry Furanone, Vanillin, and Ethyl Vanillin, which creates the flavor profile known as “pink vanilla.”
Cotton Candy has a way of bringing back memories of our early years.
Whether you’re attending a carnival or sporting event, you can be sure that the bright, fluffy, and sweet treats satisfy your cravings for sugar; it is sugary nostalgia!
The delicious and sweet candy has taken the world by storm, as the famous taste of the candy invaded various other food items like soda, ice cream, and even milk. The cotton candy is even in grapes!
You can even purchase your flavoring and make your desserts at home using this traditional flavor.
Continue reading for an understanding of what artificial flavors are as well as the flavors they create.
We’ll also explore the process of making cotton candy and what the famous pink and blue cotton candy you’ve come to know and love tastes like! First, let’s talk about some background.
The History Of Cotton Candy
In a way, cotton candy was created by Nashville dentist James Morisson in partnership with a confectioner, and Morrison’s close friend, John C. Warton, in 1897.
They created the concept of an “electric candy machine,” naming their sweet and new creation “fairy floss.”
Morrison and Warton presented their latest innovation in 1904 at the World’s Fair, where their “fairy floss” proved successful.
The company sold 20,000 dollars worth of sugar-spun in 184 days (in 1904, as I recall). It was evident that they had made something truly unique.
Unfortunately for a couple of inventors, their candy machines had many flaws.
It eventually became a non-reliable machine. After the men’s patent expired, another dentist named Josef Lascaux attempted to recreate the machine in 1921. But, this dentist also failed.
While Lascaux was unable effectively restore the candy machine, he succeeded in changing the brand name of the machine from fairy floss to “cotton candy” (though “fairy floss” is still being used in many countries around the globe).
While dentists are passionate but it’s clear that the candy business was not for them.
In 1949, an Ohio-based firm, Gold Medal Products, developed a machine for cotton candy that was successful.
While other innovations kept popping up, and the company continued to upgrade its equipment to create the light and airy confection we recognize for its cotton candy.
What Do You Make Cotton Candy Made?
We now better understand where this sweet dessert comes from; I am certain you’ll have a few concerns.
How is it made? What is the process that makes sugar transform into whimsical fluff? How do they achieve this?
To make cotton candy, there are four major stages: sugar production and candy collection, cutting, packaging, and sugar collection.
Packaging and cutting are typically done when cotton candy has been manufactured in large quantities for distribution. However, they could be used by sellers who make this candy directly on the spot.
Sugar processing is the process whereby the finely granulated sugar gets introduced into the extruder, which melts to form the extremely hot liquid sugar.
The hot liquid sugar exits the extruder and creates those cotton strands long enough that we all know about it.
Then, when those beautiful silky strands begin to form, the collecting process starts.
This is when the vendor uses an oblong stick and slowly circles around the bowl to collect the sugar which has just formed and creates a huge cloud of bright deliciousness.
The cutting process is next. In industrial machines, sugar clouds move through a conveyor belt, where the blade cuts them and makes individual sugar treats.
But, the small-scale machines (the ones we’re familiar with) that you can see at carnivals and fairs don’t require this procedure.
Finally, the packaging is essential. For industrial equipment, that means making equal-sized pieces and packaging them with plastic and, ultimately, cardboard boxes for transportation.
For portable devices and making cotton candy on the spot, the process doesn’t normally occur.
What Is Cotton Candy Flavor?
After you’ve learned where cotton candy came from and its production method, let’s examine what cotton candy tastes like. It is known to be very sweet with a distinct flavor; however, what exactly is the process that produces it?
As previously mentioned, three primary artificial flavors work in this classic flavor: Ethyl maltol vanillin, strawberry furanone, and ethyl vanillin.
Ethyl maltol is an insoluble synthetic compound that is a white powder. It gives an aroma of caramel and fruit in the products that contain it.
It is found in a myriad of food products which include but are not limited to chocolate, ice cream, and the pickling of vegetables to improve the taste.
Strawberry furanone is a natural substance found inside strawberries. However, it is also (and more frequently) made synthetically into a white powder.
As with ethyl maltol, it is a fruity, caramelly note; however, it also has a “burnt” smell and is found in various sweets and scents.
Vanillin and Ethyl Vanillinboth create an extremely well-known flavor around vanilla.
Vanillin is the most natural form of the compound extracted from vanilla beans (and sometimes, beavers!), in which ethyl vanillin, similar to the strawberry furanone and ethyl maltol, is a synthetic form that is created in a laboratory.
But, if you purchase cotton candy flavoring syrup or a product infused with food, these ingredients may not be on the label.
As a substitute, you will see “artificial flavoring,” which can be described as the three ingredients.
But, these three artificial flavors require a soluble substance that can dissolve. This is why you will see on every product with a cotton candy flavor that there is Propylene Glycol listed, which is water-based soluble.
Without it the flavoring ingredient, it won’t be effective.
What Flavor Is Pink Cotton Candy?
If you close your eyes and think of the delicious delicacy of this fluffy confection, two colors will most likely pop up in your head: A soft, feminine pink and a soothing baby blue. Both have the same subtle but distinctive taste.
Pink cotton candy is normally linked to a “pink vanilla” flavor. With notes of vanilla typically, this is the flavor you are likely to get from this kind of candy.
The flavor, however, is not directly linked to the color of cotton candy. The candy can be colored and still taste “pink vanilla.” The thing that makes cotton candy color is a dye that is added to the sugar that has a flavor.
Which Flavors Are Blue Cotton Candy?
While you know that dyes and flavorings are the main ingredients in the flavor and color of cotton candy, regardless of color, there’s an unmistakable flavor that is associated with blue sweets: the blueberry.
Blue raspberry is among the flavors that do not have a true origin (there is no blue raspberry), but we are familiar with it since it appears in a variety of sweets such as Slurpee and candy. What exactly is blue raspberry?
Blue Raspberry is the flavor of raspberries that have been dyed with blue dye, giving it a distinct and distinctive flavor.
In the process of combining the mentioned artificial flavors and food coloring, the famous blue cotton candy forms.
The Cotton Candy: The Treat That Is Adaptable
Since cotton candy is essentially sugar color, flavoring, and dye, the flavors and colors are limitless!
Although blue and pink are the most well-known, but it is the development of this dessert has led to all kinds of flavors and colors, as well as unique flavors.
Some of the more innovative flavors are birthday cake, chocolate strawberry passionfruit, and pina colada.
Gold Medal Products even did work in partnership together with Dominic “The Midway Gourmet,” who is an icon and visionary of carnival food, and created the bacon-flavored cotton candy!
The bizarre flavoring proved to be extremely popular, selling out on its very first day during the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Carnival in 2013. Gold Medal Products still sells the bizarrely-flavored cotton candy on their website to this day.
Cotton candy has seen a significant improvement from 1904 in terms of how it is flavored and the way it affects other foods. It’s delicious, sweetly nostalgic, and delicious, and truly no other candy quite as it.
*Last updated and verified on February 7th, 2023 by our editorial team.
