This allows the thermometer to rest securely on the side of the pan without falling in and ensures that it is easy to take temperature measurements. Quickly examine and/or carefully pick up the sugar from the cold water. Can a digital meat thermometer be used for candy? ;), Reply On average they will range from -40 all the way to 450 degrees F, You can also use an oil thermometer instead of a candy thermometer sine the temperatures needed for both can be very high. There are many wonderful candy recipes including some of mine I have posted on Instructables: (Best Ruler-Like Steel) Wilton traditional steel thermometer is 14.7-inch … https://thedomesticrebel.com/2015/12/08/no-thermometer-needed-easy-toffee Highlighted Features. OKRAD / Getty Images. I don't always use a thermometer for cooking but when I am cooking a turkey or chicken I do as you can't tell it's done unlike with a hamburger. If you do have a thermometer you need to test its accuracy. Simple syrup is: Each type of thermometer has a specific purpose—either measuring solid meat or liquids. When you're ready to test your candy, scoop up a small amount on a spoon and drop it in a glass of cold water. The ball will hold its shape in your hand but it is still flexiable enough that you squish it easily.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhGe_WajFkg, Soft Crack Stage is 270 F to 290 F (135 C to 145 C) At 250 F to 265 F, the ball won't flatten at all. Apple Jellies Candy https://www.instructables.com/id/Apples-Jellies-Candy/ The Norpro Candy Thermometer is a stainless steel built gadget that is … 1 cup sugar (use pure cane sugar as other sugars such as beet sugar have different melting points and will react differently) Cold water does certainly cost less than a thermometer when making candy, but unfortunately you cannot use this temperature technique when deep frying, yeast proofing, jelly making or checking meat has reached a safe internal temperature. The firmness of the sugar indicates the highest temperature the syrup reached. Candy (also know as deep-fry thermometers) are readily available in houseware stores and almost every supermarket in the states. The meat thermometer is really ultra fast - it shows the temperature almost immediately and seems very accurate. Norpro Candy Thermometer. Once you take the syrup out of the cold water you can feel how brittle and sharp it is. You can use the thermometer's clip to secure the device to a pan, but reviewers suggest they like using this long-probe candy thermometer as an instant read, inserting it as they go to keep track of the temp instead of constantly monitoring. If your meat thermometer can read that high at least you know it has the temperature range. Obviously, when making candy, a thermometer needs to be able to read a much higher temperature than a thermometer that only reads meat temperatures. A Web Experience brought to you by LEAFtv, Science of Cooking: The Cold Water Candy Test, RecipeTips.com: How to Test Stages of Sugar, Diana's Desserts: Tips for Candy and Confections. Once your syrup gets above 234 degrees Fahrenheit, however, it starts to hold together and make visible threads in the water. Good luck and I am glad you found my I instructable helpful. Soft-Ball Stage is 235 F to 240 F (118 C to 120 C) There are tons of sites that sell them. This allows the thermometer to rest securely on the side of the pan without falling in and ensures that it is easy to take temperature measurements. Instead, you'll find out what you need to know from the threads themselves. He was educated at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Because sugar can burn easily, you’ll need to work quickly. Between 245 F and 250 F, you'll get a ball that's still a bit soft but needs a good squeeze to flatten it. Prices can range from $12 for a simple thermometer to $35 for a digital thermometer. Some candies require you to cook the sugar to an even higher temperature. Meat Thermometer. On average they will range from -40 all the way to 450 degrees F, You can also use an oil thermometer instead of a candy thermometer sine the temperatures needed for both can be very high. You can buy a very nice digital thermometer for use in making candy from Amazon.com.  Hard ball: Using a clean spoon when the syrup is dropped into cold water it may be formed into a hard ball. A candy thermometer is a large glass thermometer used to measure the temperature of melted sugar. I understand that IR Thermometers measure surface temperatures only, however I was wondering how accurate it is with liquids that are pretty consistent or homogeneous (i.e. Ideally you would have an instant read thermometer that handles candy making temperatures, so you have one thermometer. 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