How to Make Spun Sugar Cobwebs

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Making spun sugar cobwebs is fun and easy! You can use spun sugar cobwebs to decorate cakes, pies, and cupcakes. After preparing your workspace, you will make spun sugar syrup on the stovetop. Once the syrup cools, you can easily construct spun sugar cobwebs by flinging the mixture over an upside down bowl with a fork.

Ingredients

¼ cup water
1 cup sugar

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preparing Your Work Space

Before your begin making spun sugar cobwebs, you will need to prepare your workspace. Take a large sheet of parchment paper or baking sheet and set it out on the countertop where you will be working. This will be the surface you will use to construct your spun sugar cobwebs.^{[1]
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Place a bowl upside down on the parchment paper or cookie sheet. You will use an upside down bowl as the surface upon which you will shape your spun sugar cobwebs. If you want to create spun sugar cobwebs for cupcakes, use a small bowl like a cereal or fruit bowl. If you want to create a large spun sugar cobweb for a cake or pie, use a large bowl similar in size to your cake or pie.
- Use a glass, glazed ceramic, or rimless metal bowl. These material types will prevent the spun sugar cobwebs from sticking to their surface.
It is important that you grease or oil the bottom and outside of the bowl. This step will ensure your spun sugar cobwebs don’t stick. Place a few drops of vegetable oil on your fingers. Lightly oil the bottom and outsides of the bowl by rubbing your fingers in small circles over the bowl’s outer surfaces until completely oiled.
You will need a bowl of ice water to cool your sugar syrup in prior to making the spun sugar cobwebs. This bowl should be large enough to fit a small saucepan. Fill the bowl halfway with water and then add 10-15 ice cubes. Set aside.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Spun Sugar Syrup

Set aside a small, stainless steel saucepan. Using a liquid measuring cup, measure ¼ cup of water. Pour the water into the saucepan. It is important to use a liquid measuring cup, as dry measuring cups can vary significantly from their liquid counterparts.^{[2]
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Use a dry measuring cup to measure 1 cup of sugar. Use a knife to level off any excess sugar on the top of the measuring cup. Then take your fingers and sprinkle the sugar evenly across the surface of the saucepan.
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Cook the sugar mixture. Turn your stove burner on medium-high heat. Cook the sugar mixture over medium-high heat for eight to fifteen minutes. Swirl the sugar mixture occasionally while cooking. Hold the handle of the saucepan and make a swirling motion. This will ensure the mixture cooks evenly.^{[3]
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- Do not stir the sugar mixture as it cooks, as this will create unwanted sugar crystals.
The sugar mixture should be done after cooking for eight to fifteen minutes over medium-high heat. You will know the sugar mixture is done when the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has turned into a pale, golden syrup with a consistency similar to honey. Once your mixture reaches this consistency, immediately remove from the heat and turn off the burner.
After removing the saucepan from the burner, place it in the bowl of ice water for five minutes. This will cool the sugar syrup and stop it from cooking. Remove the saucepan from the ice water after five minutes. Place it on the baking sheet your prepared earlier.
It is important that you let the sugar syrup rest for at least two to three minutes after you remove it from the bowl of ice water. Allow the sugar syrup to rest until it forms thin threads.
Dip a fork in the syrup. Slowly lift the fork from the syrup. If it forms a thin thread, your syrup is ready. If it forms droplets, it is not ready. Allow your syrup to cool for an additional two to three minutes if it forms droplets, and then test again.

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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creating Spun Sugar Cobwebs

With your other hand, hold a fork. You will be dipping the fork into the saucepan as you create the sugar spun cobwebs. It is generally a good idea to hold the fork in your right hand if you are right-handed, or in your left hand if you are left-handed.^{[4]
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Gently dip the fork into the saucepan filled with sugar syrup. Make sure the fork touches the bottom of the saucepan before lifting it from the sugar syrup mixture. Gently raise the fork from the sugar syrup mixture.
Using a circular pattern, quickly fling threads of sugar syrup across the bottom of the bowl your prepared earlier. Be sure you move the fork up, down, and all around to create a cobweb of sugar threads. Repeat and then let the sugar cool on the bowl for three to four minutes.
Quickly and cautiously ease the cobweb from the bowl. Start at the bottom and use your hands to gently ease the threads from the bowl, shaping them into a sphere as you go. You should end up with a sphere of sugar threads.
You can now use the sugar spun cobwebs to decorate your cupcakes, pie, or cake. Gently place the cobwebs on top of your treats. Enjoy!

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