Candy Chemistry
While the summer Candy School is meant for professionals, UW-Madison also offers an undergraduate version hosted every other semester. This senior-level class focuses more on the scientific aspect of candy manufacturing instead of the practical or technology-based understanding.
“In the candy class during the school year, Rich gets to go crazy on the science part, so you get to learn in-depth what’s going on inside the candy and behind the scenes,” says Thomas, who also acts as a teaching assistant in the undergraduate course. “You learn the application side once you’re in the industry.”
Instead of inviting experts every day to teach their specialty to undergraduates, Hartel created an online lecture for students to learn the scientific specifics behind candy making. Tuesday labs give eager students the chance to apply the science they’ve learned to the sweets that taste good. But it’s Wednesday evaluation days, where many times students often get to eat their treats, that are the best.
Photo by: Stephanie Wezelman
UW-Madison senior Katie Moy, a student in Hartel’s undergraduate candy course, is already putting what she’s learned to use in the real world by working with local Madison business DB Infusion Chocolates.
“I get to help them run certain tests on their chocolate in order to make sure they’re safe and see how stable they are,” says Moy, who plans to go into confectioneries after graduation. “I give them a little bit of the science background, and they give me a little bit of the artistry and confectionery background.”
Moy knows both sides of UW-Madison’s confectionery course because she helped with lab setup at the summer Candy School two years ago. The budding confectionery scientist has seen the impact of Candy School on its professional students.
“A lot of people that come got sent there because their company knows that this is a reputable program, and it’ll give you a crash course on what candy making is,” she says. “I think it’s great that the National Confectioners Association recognizes the importance and has given Wisconsin that responsibility because they know we have a great facility and a great professor that can facilitate the class.”
Candy School is truly a one-of-a-kind learning opportunity for candy connoisseurs, but it’s also just plain fun.
“Candy is kind of cool. Even though there are people that think candy’s bad for you, anything’s bad for you if you abuse it,” Hartel says. “And the nutritionists think there’s nothing there, but it’s sugar. Over history, sugar’s gone through ups and downs, and think about it, it used to be so rare. Sugar’s only been around for a few hundred years and being able to make candy like this has only been around for a few hundred years.”
The continuously evolving nature of science coupled with the world’s love of candy keeps Candy School continually relevant. And just think—that Hersey’s bar in the grocery checkout or that stick of Wrigley gum offered by a friend very well could have been made by someone who learned right here in Wisconsin, all thanks to UW-Madison’s sweetest secret.
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