Soft crack stage

If you remove these threads from the cold water you would not be able to form a ball out of them. It will form slightly thicker threads as it drops through the cold water. If you remove the threads from the cold water you will be able to form them into a small ball by rolling between your thumb and forefinger.

The ball will be soft and can be easily flattened. The threads can easily be seen in the water and when removed they can be formed into a hard ball. It will hold its shape but when squeezed tightly it can still be flattened slightly.

Pour the syrup from a spoon into cold water. The syrup will form thick threads, which when removed from the cold water, can still able to be firmly molded into a ball shape. This hard ball will hold its shape and cannot be flattened. Drop a teaspoon of syrup into cold water. At the soft crack stage, it separates into hard thread but they are not brittle. When removed from the water these threads cannot be formed into a ball but will bend slightly before they break.

At the hard crack stage the syrup will have darkened in color and when dropped in the cold water, it separates into hard brittle threads. When the threads are removed from the water they cannot be bent without breaking. Safety Note: When boiling sugar syrup, be extremely careful. The syrup is very hot and if it comes in contact with your skin it can cause severe burns. The syrup is thick and sticky, which makes it hard to wash off, causing it to continue to burn.

Also, watch for splattering as the syrup cooks to higher temperatures. My Recipe Box. Join Now Sign In. How to Test Stages of Sugar. How To's. Kitchen Advice. Canning Vegetables and Fruits. Cobblers, Crisps, Crumbles, and More. Easter Candy Recipes. How to Make Homemade Ice Cream. How to Make Pumpkin Pie. Pie Crusts. Provided By RecipeTips. Stages of Sugar Testing with a Candy Thermometer Testing with Cold Water Method When a recipe indicates that a sugar mixture needs to cook to a specific stage, the most accurate method to use is a candy thermometer to test the temperature as it is cooking.

Stages of Sugar When cooking sugar, it will go through several stages as it boils; the more moisture that evaporates from the mixture the higher the temperature will rise. Used when making nougat, divinity, and marshmallows. When removed from the water these threads will bend a little before they break. Used when making taffy, butterscotch, and popcorn balls. Used when making toffee, brittle, and hard candy.

Testing Sugar Stages with a Candy Thermometer Types Selecting a Thermometer Testing Thermometer for Accuracy Using a Candy Thermometer A candy thermometer provides the easiest method of achieving accurate consistency of the different stages of candy making.

Thermometer Type Description Traditional Glass Tube Candy Thermometer Traditional glass tube thermometers are built with vertical scales, which often have colored bars that serve as measures to display temperatures readings at various levels when they are reached. Ruler Style Candy Thermometer Ruler-style thermometers are built with vertical scales similar to the glass tube thermometer but the thermometer is designed more like a metal ruler.

Dial Readout Candy Thermometer Dial readouts will display temperature levels registered on a full circle of numbers to show when various levels are achieved. Digital Candy Thermometer Digital readout thermometers, which are battery operated, will typically display each temperature range as the heat reaches the levels of soft ball, hard ball, soft crack, and the other designated levels.

Selecting a Candy Thermometer When selecting a candy thermometer consider the following points to determine the type that would be most suited for your needs. Consider the ease with which the thermometer can be read. What types of display for the temperature readings are shown on the thermometer, such as centigrade, Fahrenheit, highest, lowest temperatures, and other relevant display options? Which options fit your needs best?

What is the minimum depth of contents that can be read by the thermometer? How is the thermometer designed to keep it from touching the bottom of the pan? Consider the potential for use in other cooking processes such as for fried foods, jellies, jams, or preserves. How to Test a Candy Thermometer It is extremely important that you know whether or not your candy thermometer is accurate when you are using it to make candy.

Bring a pan of water to a full boil and place the candy thermometer in the water. Do not let it touch the bottom of the pan. Allow the temperature to rise on the thermometer until it stops, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.

Toffee, nut brittles, and lollipops are all cooked to the hard-crack stage. Honey color produces a light caramel, while amber is a darker, fuller caramel. Anything darker than amber will result in a slightly burnt taste. The remaining sugar is liquid and light amber in color. The sugar is beginning to break down and form many complex compounds that contribute to a richer flavor.

Caramelized sugar is used for dessert decorations and can also be used to give a candy coating to nuts. To use the thermometer, stand it upright in the candy syrup so the bulb is completely immersed in the liquid. Do not let the bulb touch the bottom of the pan. Clip it in place. Firm Ball degrees F degrees C Syrup will form a firm but pliable, sticky ball that holds it shape briefly. Used for caramels, butter creams, nougat, marshmallows, Italian meringues, gummies, and toffees.

Hard Ball degrees F degrees C Syrup will form a hard, sticky ball that holds its shape. Used for caramels, nougat, divinity and toffees. Soft Crack degrees F degrees C Syrup will form strands that are firm yet pliable.

Used for butterscotch, firm nougat, and taffy. Hard Crack degrees F degrees C Syrup will form threads that are stiff brittle and break easily. Used for brittles, toffees, glazed fruit, hard candy, pulled poured and spun sugar.

Caramel degrees F degrees C Syrup will become transparent and will change color, ranging from light golden brown to dark amber. Used for pralines, brittles, caramel-coated molds, and nougatine. Subscribe Now New Videos. Contact Us Privacy Policy. Use of materials on all pages on the domains Joyofbaking. References cited may include a link to purchase the referenced book or item on Amazon.

Video icons by Asher. Content in any form may not be copied or used without written permission of Stephanie Jaworski, Joyofbaking. Students and non profit educators may use content without permission with proper credit. A baking resource on the Internet since Subscribe Now. Fahrenheit degrees F.