Make popping candy
21 February 2026
Make your edible space dust We’re going to make our own version of space dust! Whaaaaat?! Surely you need a
We’re going to make our own version of space dust! Whaaaaat?! Surely you need a pressurised cooking vessel, loads of CO2 and a ton of safety qualifications to do that? Ed. Yeah, kind of. Sadly, it’s not possible to make proper popping candy at home. So instead of using physics, we’re going to use CHEMISTRY to make some super space dust. It won’t give you the same level of POP, but it will give you a fantastic fizzzzzz!
Helpful adult – we’ll be using high temperatures on the cooking hob
Loaf tin
Greaseproof paper
Cup or small bowl
½ teaspoon and tablespoon measures
Scales
Large heavy-based saucepan
Mixing spoon (not wooden, which might cause crystals to form)
Sugar thermometer
Small metal whisk
Ingredients
1 tablespoon icing sugar
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
20 g citric acid powder (you can buy this at a pharmacy or health food shop)
130 g granulated sugar
40 g golden syrup or honey
2 tablespoons water
Colouring and flavouring (optional)
Line a loaf tin or small heatproof dish with greaseproof paper. Dust with icing sugar, to stop the mixture sticking.
Mix the bicarbonate of soda and citric acid powder in a cup or bowl to make an unsweetened sherbet – it won’t be very tasty!
Add the granulated sugar, golden syrup and water to a large heavy-based saucepan.
ADULT NEEDED! Stir the mixture with a non-wooden spoon and use the sugar thermometer to carefully monitor the temperature. IT IS GOING TO GET VERY HOT – PLEASE ENSURE A GROWN-UP HELPS WITH THIS BIT. It needs to reach the Hard Crack stage at 146-149°C. If crystals form on the sides of the pan, you can brush them off with a wet pastry brush.
ADULT NEEDED! Quick, careful working required! When the mixture reaches somewhere between 146 and 149°C, turn off the heat and ask your adult to carefully whisk in any flavours or colours. Then whisk in the sherbet. Pour it into the lined tin and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes. Can you see bubbles of carbon dioxide trapped in the mix?
Once it has set, smash it into smaller pieces, then test it!
Save washing up effort with some scientific knowledge! Soak your spoon, whisk, thermometer and pan in water – the hard sugar will dissolve into the water and make washing up much easier!
When the sugar dissolves in your mouth, it releases the citric acid and bicarbonate of soda. These react with the saliva on your tongue to make sour-tasting sodium citrate, water and carbon dioxide – which you feel as fizzing.
We can thank chemistry for this fizz, because it’s the result of a chemical reaction, rather than the physical reaction which makes the POP in popping candy. The gas is not escaping under pressure, so there is no loud pop.
Don’t have too much at once or you might find yourself feeling very burpy… but you probably won’t explode. No, I’m serious here – please don’t eat too much, it’s terrible for your teeth too!
If you enjoyed this activity then go to the AQUILA magazine website and subscribe today!
Words: Sarah Bearchell. Illustration: Ed J. Brown
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