How long does it take to boil sugar to soft ball stage?

Allow the temperature to rise on the thermometer until it stops, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. If the thermometer is accurate it should read 212°F, at sea level. See boiling point for other altitudes below.

How do you know when sugar is at soft ball stage?

Using a clean spoon, carefully take a little of the syrup and drop it into the bowl of cold water. Leave to cool for a moment then pick up the ball of syrup. If it’s pliable, sticky and can be moulded in your fingers easily, it has reached the soft ball stage and the syrup can be used to make fudge and marzipan.

How do you make soft ball stage sugar?

For example, at 235° F, the syrup is at the “soft-ball” stage. That means that when you drop a bit of it into cold water to cool it down, it will form a soft ball. Most candy recipes will tell you to boil your sugar mixture until it reaches one of the stages below.

How long does it take to boil sugar to 300 degrees?

Just put your candy thermometer in the pan and watch for it to rise to 300 degrees. It takes about 10 minutes from the time it starts to really boil. After it’s reached 300 degrees, remove it from the heat and add whatever flavor you want, stirring constantly then add food coloring.

How long does it take for sugar water to boil?

In a high-sided saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cold water and sugar to a boil. Turn the heat to low and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is clear, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remember – the longer you boil it, the thicker the syrup will be when cooled.

What temperature is soft crack stage?

Sugar stages

Should you Stir fudge while cooking?

Never stir the mixture during cooking or sugar could crystallize again. The mixture may seize and become grainy. Use a candy thermometer or conduct a cold water test to check if the fudge is done. … Let the mixture cool before beating.

When cooking fudge what is soft ball stage?

Soft-Ball Stage is a cooking term meaning that a sugar syrup being heated has reached 112 – 116 C (234 – 240 F.) It is a test of how hot a sugar syrup is, and of how much water is left in it.

How long do you boil fudge to get to soft ball stage?

Determining when the fudge is done.

Start checking the fudge for doneness after 10 minutes of boiling. If you are using a thermometer, your fudge is ready when it reaches 235°F. Or go old-school and use the soft ball test. Using a metal spoon, drizzle a little fudge in a cup of ice water.

What happens when you put sugar in boiling water?

The addition of sugar to boiling water forms a paste, which sticks to skin and intensifies burns. It is a tactic commonly used in prisons, where it is described as “napalm” due to the way it attaches to skin and burns.

How do you know when candy reaches 300 degrees?

For the Cold Water Test: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the syrup (candy mixture) is dropped from a clean spoon into a small bowl of very cold water (not ice cold). Quickly examine and/or carefully pick up the sugar from the cold water. The firmness of the sugar indicates the highest temperature the syrup reached.

How do you know when syrup is ready?

Using a spoon:

Place some syrup in a spoon and let it drip away in the saucepan. When the syrup flows away easily, it means it is still watery and not ready. Continue boiling until the flow separates into drops. When a final drop remains hanging from the spoon, it means that the density is right and the syrup is ready.

How long does it take for sugar to reach hard crack stage?

Continue boiling, uncovered, not stirring the mixture but shaking the saucepan occasionally to distribute the heat as the mixture turns amber in about 9 minutes, then darker amber as it registers 305 degrees on the thermometer (hard-crack stage ), about 3 minutes longer.

How can I tell if I have a hard crack stage without a thermometer?

If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can use the cold water test in a pinch: Drop a spoonful of hot syrup into cold water, then remove the candy from the water and attempt to bend it. If your syrup has reached the hard-crack stage, it will form brittle strands in the water and crack as you bend it.

Should you stir caramel?

Should you stir caramel as it cooks? Stirring caramel as it cooks isn’t necessary—and it can even be detrimental, as it can cause the sugar solution to splash onto the sides of the pan, where the water will evaporate quickly and the sugar can form back into crystals.