Help w/ a candy making question!

Re: Help w/ a candy making question!

• GladToBeMrs.SRS member

  January 2009

  C&P'd from About.com:

   

  Some cooks prefer to use a candy thermometer and some prefer to use the old-fashioned cold water way to test the doneness of candy. Below there are directions for both.

  
  

  Thread Stage - begins at 230 degrees F. - Makes a long thread when dropped in cold water.

  Soft Ball - 234 degrees F. - Forms a soft ball that doesn't hold its shape. Cream candies, fudge, fondants are done at the soft ball stage.

  Firm Ball - 246 degrees F. - This ball will only flatten with pressure. Divinity and Caramels.

  Hard Ball - 250 degrees F. - This ball will hold its shape when pressed. Taffy.

  Soft Crack - 270 degrees F. - Separates into bendable threads. Toffee and Butterscotch.

  Hard Crack - 300 degrees F. - Becomes brittle. Peanut Brittle.

  Caramelize - 310 degrees F. - Sugar turns dark.

   

  HTHs!

   

  
  

   

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• Meka13

  January 2009

  I think there is a trick you can drop a tsp of cold water in it and it hardens then it is ready.
  

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• AlishaRichelle

  January 2009

  Am I the only one who is still immature enough to laugh at the idea that people are making things that can be referred to as "soft crack" or "hard crack"? ?Sorry - had to throw that in...

  

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• brianna611

  January 2009

  Thanks ladies.  I don't trust myself to figure it out, however, so I called DH's grandma and I'm going to borrow hers b/c I'd hate to end up ruining them!

  

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• reeni member

  January 2009

  it's the other way around... a tsp of the syrup in a cup of ice water. Then follow pp's About.com list for what to look for in the cooled blob.

  And yes, I teach at a culinary school and we still get guffaws about cooking "to crack stage".
  

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• brianna611

  January 2009

  I remember now that this is how my mom does it (dropping a tsp in cold water), but she's more experienced than I!

  

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• GladToBeMrs.SRS member

  January 2009

  AlishaRichelle:

  Am I the only one who is still immature enough to laugh at the idea that people are making things that can be referred to as "soft crack" or "hard crack"?  Sorry - had to throw that in...

   

  LOL...in this case, I'd have to liken myself to toffee, and my husband to peanut brittle.  

   

  ::giggle::
  

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