Some specialist shops offer sticks of candy sugar and sometimes even white candy sugar.
Derived from both beet and cane sugar, candy sugar is produced by the slow crystallisation of pure, highly concentrated, hot sugar syrup, a process taking 10 to 12. The syrup is then allowed to cool slowly at room temperature. Caramelisation gives it an attractive brown colour.
In northern France, candy sugar syrup was for a long time a favourite remedy for sore throats. Made by hollowing out a large carrot and filling it with candy sugar, or placing candy sugar on top of carrot slices, the remedy was much more effective than cough syrups from the chemist.
- home-brewed brandy, liqueurs, ratafia and aperitifs. Purists recommend it because it dissolves slowly, giving the alcohol time to absorb the flavours of the fruit.