Mixing Isomalt and Sugar

[Bakerchic]

Hello!

Is there a reason I cannot mix isomalt and sugar/?  Are they chemically incompatible?  For example, if I heat the sugar to caramel stage and heat the isomalt to the required temperature, can I mix the two, to get the color and flavor of the sugar and the humidity resistance of the isomalt?

 

[gfron1]

Do it and let us know  My first thought was the differing times it takes to make them melt. 

[KennethT]

I have mixed them in the past with no issues - although I typically use a combo of sugar, isomalt and glucose.  The isomalt doesn't like to melt as readily as the sugar does, but it will eventually.  I have never noticed the humidity resistance (I always keep my sugar stuff in sealed containers with a few packs of desiccant thrown in), but the mixture is certainly less sweet than sugar, which is the primary reason why I use it as I like it for savory applications.

[Bakerchic]

Thanks!  I will try it.  I thought for sure I'd have to melt them separately and then combine, but if combining them all works just as well, I'll try KennethT's suggestion. 

[Bakerchic]

I tried it and it worked!  I did the usual caramel with sugar, cornsyrup and cream of tartar; I started the isomalt about 15 minutes earlier than the sugar and when it got to temperature I mixed about half of the isomalt into the caramel. 

 

I colored the rest of the isomalt to experiment with candy gems and sugar cages.  That was fun, and I discovered that I don't need gel coloring for the isomalt if I dissolve some powder in a bit of alcohol (I used vodka).

However, I think mixing the sugar with the isomalt decreased the dryness of the isomalt; the isomalt might have had a small effect on the sugar, but it wasn't noticeable.  I ended up with both being hygroscopic to some extent.  Now I know.