r/oddlysatisfying • u/Popular_Brilliant_26 • 1d ago

The way these are rolled and then broken into pieces

10.0k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

106 comments sorted by

949

u/Its_The_Griz 1d ago

That’s where the term drops came from for hard candy. That metal press part is probably close to 100 years old.

354

u/BinkWave 1d ago

I love how simple and effective these machines are . No complicated electronics, no sensers to break down, just pure mechanical design that can easily last another century if taken care of properly.

150

u/Its_The_Griz 1d ago

Exactly. Another satisfying candy art is making the hand pulled candy. They dye multiple sections of the molten candy, cut and separate, stack them up, and create images when the candy is pulled. When it solidifies more, the maker takes a hard metal scrapper like a paint scrapper and smacks the candy which cuts it into cylindrical pieces. On the flat side, you can see the image they made.

Another interesting fact, if you want to make the color white, you leave the molten clear candy uncolored. You then pull and fold the candy on a hook 3 dozen times or so. This traps air in the candy changing the refraction of light on the candy. It goes from a clear slightly caramel color to white and makes the candy melt faster when sucked.

The old ways of making hard candy is an art form and super satisfying. Some of them even do shows while they are doing it. One trick they do is blowing a bubble into the candy, holding it up, and popping it turning it into glittery sparkles.

70

u/BrohanGutenburg 1d ago

This dude watches Unwrapped like every day.

21

u/NippleSalsa 23h ago

A man of culture i see

15

u/Hour-Onion3606 23h ago

Unwrapped is awesome

6

u/OmegaPoint6 14h ago

Tom Scott showing how Rock (hard candy sticks with writing in them) is made in the UK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZRXpmnys7I

3

u/Its_The_Griz 14h ago

That is a good video. Here was the channel I watched a lot. They have tons of different designs they have done. One of them is 8-bit Link.

https://youtube.com/@stickylollies?si=KebEGS1CYctxXLbO

2

u/MomsOfFury 12h ago

Yes! I love these!

10

u/trollsong 23h ago

I mean i think they actually upgraded this ine it looks like it was originally hand cranked and they added the motor to it

9

u/Glittering-Walrus228 21h ago

Dirty ass tennis ball on the right hand side is for balance

6

u/THEnewMGMT 23h ago

Those big loose gloves are making me nervous though. Rotary machines and loose clothing don’t mix well

1

u/Fishiesideways10 14h ago

I bet the worst thing to change out on the machine is the alternator part of it.

20

u/No_Knowledge_7608 1d ago

it's cool seeing old machines still doing exactly what they were built to do all these years later

8

u/Deviantdefective 1d ago

Over a 100 I watched a documentary on them sweet shops actively search for them online as you can't get modern ones.

8

u/Realistic_Swan_6801 1d ago

You could definitely custom order one, there are still skilled machinists that can just make this stuff by hand, part by part. Though they would need specs or an example to replicate.

3

u/Deviantdefective 1d ago

No doubt but I suspect the cost would be significant

1

u/Realistic_Swan_6801 1d ago

Oh for sure.

1

u/beaniebee11 1d ago

Documentary name? I love documentaries on stuff like this.

1

u/Deviantdefective 1d ago

I'll see if I can find it for you no guarantees it was quite a while ago.

5

u/entirewarhead 22h ago

I have this exact machine (but with a hand crank instead of the motor that they retrofitted on). From the 1860s I believe

3

u/spaz_chicken 21h ago

If you like watching this sort of stuff check youtube for Hercules Candy (they do lots of drops and chocolates) and Public Displays of Confection (pd.net - they also make great replica altoid sours in the OG flavors and they're constantly making new flavors.)

3

u/daliw 13h ago

curious about the half or partial pieces pressed into the pattern. do they get thrown out. i know the drops are individually wrapped sometimes. so what happened to those misshapen items?

4

u/Its_The_Griz 13h ago

Depends on the candy maker. Some might toss them. Some might just add them as additional pieces after weighing. Some might sell them as discounted candy such as Jelly Belly - Belly Flops. If I had to guess though, most probably just scoop the candy and package more than the listed weight to account for the misshapen pieces.

1

u/luauspond8b 21h ago

wow i’m amazed

1

u/rewindpaws 9h ago

That is cool, thanks.

301

u/Ok_Value_3741 1d ago

Chocolate keyboard

31

u/djunderh2o 1d ago

This was my impression as well.

1

u/SonicBoom500 21h ago

And you break this one, by dropping it

54

u/supsley 1d ago

But why tennisball

68

u/JuniperFizz 1d ago

Probably covering a pointy bit or sharp corner.

3

u/IrritableGourmet 22h ago

While they wear gloves to feed something into metal rollers...

8

u/The_Killer_of_Joy 22h ago

So, you want them to keep the machine as dangerous as possible, then?

3

u/Glittering-Walrus228 21h ago

Replace the tennis ball with a live exposed wire covered in honey

1

u/IrritableGourmet 21h ago

No, I'm not saying the tennis ball is bad, I'm saying the gloves near a rotating pinch point is much more dangerous. Degloving is not fun times.

1

u/Cabernet2H2O 20h ago

My health and safety heart skipped a beat watching that.

10

u/Folding_Stool 1d ago

produces less noise than a pickleball

5

u/kester76a 1d ago

It's a tricky job, you need to keep your eye on the ball.

2

u/GrimmFox13 23h ago

That tennis ball is an integral part of the machine!

3

u/Smiling_Tree 1d ago

Caught my eye too... I'm sure there should be more hygienic options?

1

u/entirewarhead 22h ago

I have this machine. The rollers are interchangeable for different shapes of candy. You can see that the inprints on the roller don’t span the whole width on this one. The dark metal pieces slide in and out to keep the candy from oozing out beyond the stamping area. While not sharp presumably they got tired of bumping into the sliding piece - hence tennis ball for visibility and cushion

1

u/seasteed 19h ago

That is their Osha approved safety tennisball.

21

u/NeonSparkleGlitter 1d ago

That candy store is amazing and is my favorite place to go when visiting my hometown.

7

u/AFriendlyPlayer 1d ago

Candy stores where I live are all high end and catering to $$ minimum per sale. You walk into the place and its like a sterile chrome room with candy displays strewn about

1

u/GAMEYE_OP 21h ago

What shop is it?

6

u/NeonSparkleGlitter 21h ago

Schimff’s Confectionary in Jeffersonville, IN (right across from Louisville, KY). They let you go in and watch them make red hots as well! There’s a soda fountain and one museum-like room full of displays of old candy!

1

u/GAMEYE_OP 20h ago

Oh I'd love that!

7

u/hyf5 1d ago

So that's how keyboards are made

16

u/Hello-hi-bye-wassup 1d ago

What is that? Looks rlly good tho

12

u/Popular_Brilliant_26 1d ago

Chocolate candies

4

u/SpaceCadetMoonMan 1d ago

Rolo Tony Brown Town

2

u/pukurindesu 1d ago

Give me some more, give me some more, give me some more of those Rolos.

2

u/SpaceCadetMoonMan 1d ago

Pop top, check it out, lick the foil with your tongue

15

u/Glad_Camel_6078 1d ago

Is the Waving necessary???

45

u/UnoriginalLogin 1d ago

Maybe to check for how set/cooled they are? If it's too floppy when they drop it it won't shatter properly?

16

u/raknor88 1d ago

Also, this shop often has shows and make these in front of tourists.

5

u/DieuMivas 1d ago

Also felt like there was one too many swing for my own satisfaction there.

4

u/eastcoastjon 1d ago

Love the tennis ball. The most versatile of all sports balls.

3

u/KeybladeSurvivor_97 17h ago

A Chocolate Keyboard

2

u/SpiritualQuarter4384 1d ago

I guess that's how they make my keyboard.

2

u/quesquese_ 1d ago

what is the purpose of the tennis ball?

3

u/Earthwin 1d ago

Probably to stop people bumping into the tab that's sticking out from the side of the press.

2

u/glodde 20h ago

Someone has to eat all of those half pieces

2

u/fanana_bishh 19h ago

mmm chocolate keyboard

2

u/lekszyguy001 16h ago

Who else replayed this more than once 😂

2

u/masterhoots 14h ago

"Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination"

2

u/SkyGunworks 14h ago

Can I get an unbroken section please?!

1

u/Abal125 1d ago

I've seen the breaking process before with other candies, always very cool to see.

1

u/LordWangz 1d ago

me: is that a tennis ball?

1

u/Baharali501 1d ago

my friend’s candy always breaks like that too

1

u/Robotic_Orange 23h ago

Chocolate keyboard slab.

1

u/Such-Combination8419 23h ago

Looks like a keyboard!

1

u/Kuzkuladaemon 22h ago

It's like when you don't chew your food well enough

1

u/Elbeeb 21h ago

I could sit and watch candy being made for hours

1

u/jargon_ninja69 21h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/UI1qLkl9hekmoJWduz
My face when the chocolates shattered

1

u/mechabeast 20h ago

Baby just gimme one Reisen

1

u/db_to 20h ago

A keyboard of chocolate until the violent end...

1

u/skorindurdude 20h ago

Glad I watched until the end

1

u/SwimmingHighlight19 19h ago

Can someone tell me what this is…chocolate??

1

u/JohnStern42 18h ago

Safety tennis ball

1

u/Timmy12er 18h ago

At first glance I thought a shoe was being inserted

1

u/JohnStern42 18h ago

Safety 🎾

1

u/Comfortable_Net5450 18h ago

Imagine getting your finger stuck

1

u/Juan_Moe_Taco 18h ago

Furniture maker: “so do you have a favorite color for your new massage chair?” Me: “yep, & I even have the massage foam spikes to be flat too, unfortunately it’s also a delicious edible chocolate keyboard”.

1

u/Chaoticsoul47 16h ago

They score it while warm so it breaks clean

1

u/Alienwired 13h ago

How do I get that job?

1

u/ukuleles1337 12h ago

How keyboards are made

1

u/conniecheah9 10h ago

Looks like it’s set on the edge of the bench, no doubt workers kept walking into it and either catching their clothes or moving the press

-1

u/Puziko5 1d ago

I always wondered why there were a little greasy.

0

u/cwsjr2323 22h ago

What brand is this? I keep asking every time this is posted.

2

u/ArguablyMe 12h ago

You'll have to ask these people.

1

u/properwaffles 21h ago

Hopefully it's QUERTY.

-5

u/Anti-Sanity89 1d ago

That was neat until the nasty tennis ball...

9

u/Fun_Performer_1405 1d ago

Run into that little projection while you're distracted and see if you don't put one there too. It doesn't touch the food, and saves hips. ffs.

1

u/TheGoldenTNT 1d ago

Never look at any place where your food is processed. Many are clean, many are not. This is so tame.