The Accidental Scientist: Science of Cooking Visit a lollipop factory! exploratorium

Kendon Candies in San Jose, California, is the third largest lollipop producer in the U.S., yet it’s actually a surprisingly small factory, with no more than 35 employees. Still they manage to crank out 15,000 lollipops of various shapes and sizes per day, including one mammoth lollipop that weighs two pounds.

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Tom Kennedy, owner of Kendon Candies, Inc.

Tom Kennedy is the owner and head cook of Kendon Candies. His primary advice for home lollipop chefs: "Don’t burn yourself!" His other tips: Use up to a 50/50 blend of sugar and corn syrup, cook it no higher than 300° F, and use a good candy thermometer. Says Kennedy, "A lot of it is experiment . . . we experiment all the time."

Watch a video of the lollipop-making process at Kendon Candies in San Jose, California.

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