Lesson 15: Sugar and Candy

Objective 2

• Respond to statements about the basics of candy making.

Because a mixture of sugar and liquid is the basis for all cooked candy, making candy is a great way to see how sugar works. When you follow a good candy recipe carefully, you will get a product with the right consistency, flavor, and texture.

Many cooked candy recipes require the use of a candy thermometer. As you read in the "Candy Basics" section of your cookbook, you can use a cold water test instead of a thermometer, but a properly calibrated candy thermometer takes the guesswork out of candy making.

What do we mean by a properly calibrated candy thermometer? There are two things that can have an effect on a candy thermometer:

• Simple inaccuracy: Even a brand-new candy thermometer can be off by a couple of degrees.
• Altitude: Since there is not as much atmospheric pressure at higher elevations, altitude can have an effect on boiling point, affecting temperatures for cooked candies.

Both of these factors can be accounted for by doing a simple test each time you use your candy thermometer. Unless otherwise indicated, cooked candy recipes are written for sea level, where water boils at 212º F. To calibrate your candy thermometer, follow the simple steps below:

1. Place the candy thermometer in a pan of water and bring to a boil. Make sure the bottom of the thermometer is not directly touching the bottom of the pan, as the temperature of the pan and not that of the water will register on your thermometer.
2. Once the water boils, check the temperature on your thermometer.
3. If the thermometer reads higher than 212 ºF, you will add that number to the degrees given in the recipe. For example, if your water boils at 214 ºF (2º above 212) and the recipe tells you to cook to 234º F, you will actually cook to 234 ºF plus 2, or 236 ºF.
4. If the thermometer reads lower than 212 ºF, you will subtract that number from the degrees given in the recipe. For example, if your water boils at 205 ºF (7º below 212) and your recipe tells you to cook to 234 ºF, you will actually cook to 234 ºF minus 7, or 227 ºF.
5. It’s that easy, and you should check your thermometer each time you make candy. If you don’t check your thermometer and adjust the recipe accordingly, you could either cook your candy for too long or not enough time, resulting in an inferior product.
6. If your thermometer is off by a large number (more than 15°) consider replacing your thermometer.

When you make candy, you do not want a grainy product, which is the result of sugar crystals finding their way into the candy as it cooks or cools. Once these unwanted crystals form, they tend to grow and clump together, resulting in a grainy product. You can use the following precautions to avoid grainy results:

• If the recipe calls for butter or margarine, use some of it to grease the sides of the saucepan before you add other ingredients. Do not use reduced fat spreads in place of butter or margarine.
• Heat the milk or water before adding sugar; the warm liquid will make the sugar dissolve more quickly.
• If sugar crystals begin to form on the sides of the pan, briefly cover the pan to allow steam to melt crystals. Or, use a wet pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pan.
• Wash and dry a stirring spoon that has been removed from hot liquid, as it may have crystals on it, before you reuse it.
• Do not move candy mixture while it is cooling.

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