When you go for a bag of your favorite chewy gummy bears and find that they’ve turned very hard? It feels a bit disappointing, right?
It has happened to me more times than I would like to admit. Every time I leave it by mistake, it gets hard.
But I’ve learned that you absolutely don’t have to throw them away. There are many simple ways to bring those hardened gummies back to their chewy state. In this article we are going to talk about how to soften hard gummy bears.
Why Do Gummy Bears Get Hard?
Before we go into the fixes, I found it helpful to understand why they hardened in the first place.
Gummy bears get hard because they lose water over time due to evaporation. This loss of moisture causes the gelatin or pectin to become more concentrated. Gelatin or pectin gives gummy bears their gelling structure. This ultimately results in a harder, less flexible texture. Gummy gets unsuitable for consumption.
So, to soften them, you need to rehydrate them.
5 Methods on How To Soften Hard Gummy Bears
1. Using a Microwave
When I want soft gummies right away, microwaving them is the fastest option. This method works great for a short-term solution when you want a few soft gummies immediately.
To do that,
- I spread my hard gummy bears out on a microwave-safe plate.
- I started by heating them for just 5 seconds. They got slightly softer, but not quite enough.
- So, microwaving in short bursts, like 10-15 second intervals, on low power (around 50-70%).
- I kept repeating the short bursts, checking after each, until they reached the softness I wanted.
2. Moisture Transfer Method
This method sounded a bit unusual, but it is a good way to transfer moisture.
How did I do it?
- I put my hard gummy bears in an airtight container.
- Then, I added a slice of fresh bread to the container. I usually use fresh bread because stale bread won’t have any moisture to transfer. However, you can also use other water-rich options, for example, orange peel, apple slices, cucumber, etc.
- I sealed the container tightly and waited.
This method takes 12 to 24 hours for the gummy bears to absorb the moisture from the bread.
- After waiting, my gummies were softer.
I also noted that using something other than bread, like fruit, could transfer its flavor to the gummies.
This method isn’t the best if you want gummies right away, but it’s great as a longer-term fix. It effectively rehydrates them.
3. The Soaking Method with Water or Alcohol
This method will work by soaking the gummies in liquid to rehydrate them.
How to do it?
- I filled a bowl with water. You should go for using warm or tepid water, not hot (which melts them) and not cold (which doesn’t hydrate them well).
- Then I put the gummy bears in the bowl and waited.
I put the gummies in a sealed ziplock bag and immersed the bag in warm water for about 10-15 minutes. Thus, I avoid direct contact and changing the taste/texture too much.
My gummies started to get softer and even swelled up, sometimes doubling in size.
Soaking in water takes about 20 minutes. Or you can wait until they turn soft.
After soaking, I dry them on a wire rack before storing them again, otherwis,e they can get sticky.
This method can be quite effective and relatively fast if the water temperature is right.
4. The Body Heat/Warmth Method
This is the simplest method, I would say.
Don’t think I am crazy! I simply put some hard gummy bears in a freezer bag. Then, I literally put them under my leg.
You can also put them under your arms, between your legs, or place them near a warm object like a heater or in your car on a sunny day. There are lots of options.
The warmth from my body did indeed soften them. It wasn’t the fastest method. But it was easy if I was on the go, like during a long road trip. The main downside was that they might end up slightly squished.
5. The Steaming Method
Steaming is another easy technique that I hadn’t thought of before.
How did I do it then?
I put some water in a pot so that the water level was below my steamer basket.
I placed the gummy bears in a single layer in the basket so that they get space for steam to circulate.
I covered the pot and heated it on medium heat to create steam. I left them in the steam for about 5-10 minutes, checking periodically.
The steam was helped by adding moisture gently. They softened nicely. After steaming, I took them out and let them cool. This is a good way to soften hard gummy bears without direct soaking, and it’s relatively quick.
FAQ
How do you make gummy bears soft again?
You can soften hard gummy bears. Use methods like microwaving them in short bursts, placing them in an airtight container with a slice of bread, etc.
Is it OK to eat hard gummy bears?
Hard gummies are not enjoyable to rats due to their texture. But they are not unsafe. Hardness just means they lack moisture.
How do you melt hard gummies?
You can melt hard gummies. Just expose them to heat. You can also try to soften them in a microwave or hot water. Expose the themes for a bit longer until they melt.
Concluding Words
As you have seen already, there’s more than one way to bring hard gummy bears back to life.
If you need a fast fix, use the microwave or body heat method. Or if you have time, go for a longer-term solution like the bread method or soaking. You can go for any method, literally.
Just remember to choose the method that best suits your needs and always keep an eye on them to avoid melting or stickiness.
You may read also – Matcha And Strawberry Layered Smoothie
