TESTING A CANDY THERMOMETER FOR ACCURACY RECI RECIPES

Steps:

• Candy thermometers are an absolute necessity for making many different types of candies, like caramels, toffees, and many fudges. However, it's not uncommon for thermometers to become less accurate over time, and a mis-reading of even 5 degrees can mean a failed batch of candy. Because accuracy is so important, it's a good idea to test your thermometer periodically. Here is a quick and easy method to test the accuracy of your candy thermometer.
• 1. Insert your candy thermometer into a pot of water, and bring the water to a rolling boil. The bubbles should be constant and vigorous. At sea level, the boiling point for water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius. This will be our baseline.
• 2. Leave your thermometer in the water for five minutes, to give it time to get an accurate reading. Make sure that the bulb of the thermometer is fully immersed in the water, and that it is not touching the bottom or sides of the pot—this can give a false reading.
• 1. Now inspect the temperature on your thermometer, making sure that you are eye level with the thermometer and not looking at it from an angle. Is it 212 F/ 100 C? If so, your thermometer is accurate!
• 2. There's a good chance, though, that your thermometer may be off by a few degrees, ormore. This is very important information! Take this temperature difference into account when doing all future cooking with the thermometer. For instance, maybe your thermometer registers 220 F when inserted in boiling water. You now know that your thermometer reads temperatures 8 degrees hotter than they actually are. So if you have a recipe that calls for a temperature of 240 F, you know you need to add 8 degrees and reach 248 F on your thermometer to get your candy hot enough. Or perhaps you live well above sea level, and your thermometer reads 209 degrees F in boiling water. It may be that your thermometer is entirely accurate, and that is just the boiling point of water at your high altitude. No matter the reason, you will still need to take this discrepancy into account and subtract 3 degrees F from every temperature in a candy recipe. Make a note of the inaccuracy so that you easily remember what your particular "candy thermometer conversion" actually is.
• 3. Perform this test on a regular basis, to ensure that your conversion is still accurate. It's easy to make this a part of your routine—slip the thermometer into some water that you're boiling for pasta, for instance—and it makes a huge difference in the outcome of your candy-making.
• 4. If you find that you are regularly getting drastically different results from your calibration, that means your thermometer is no longer reliable and it is time for a new candy thermometer.
• 5. For high altitude cooking, performing this test is even more important, since the temperature of boiling water decreases at higher altitudes, and if you don't take this change into account, all of your candy recipes will be terribly overcooked. There is also a handy rule of thumb that gives a general guideline to estimating candy conversions at altitude. 

Steps:

• If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can still make candy from sugar syrups by using the cold-water method. During the cooking stage, remove your pan from the heat and drop a small spoonful of sugar syrup into a bowl of very cold water. Immerse your hand in the cold water, try to form the sugar into a ball, and bring it out of the water. By examining the shape and texture of the resulting candy blob, you can determine the approximate temperature of your sugar. This method takes a little practice, and is not as exact as a candy thermometer, but it will do in a pinch!
• As a sugar syrup is cooked, water boils away, the sugar concentration increases, and the temperature rises. The highest temperature that the sugar syrup reaches tells you what the syrup will be like when it cools. In fact, that’s how each of the temperature stages discussed below is named.
• Thread Stage: 223-235° sugar concentration: 80% The earliest candy temperature stage is Thread Stage. At this temperature, the syrup drips from a spoon and forms thin threads in cold water.
• Soft Ball Stage: 235-245° sugar concentration: 85% The syrup easily forms a ball while in the cold water, but flattens once removed from the water. Fudge, pralines, and fondant are made by cooking ingredients to the soft-ball stage.
• Firm Ball Stage: 245-250° sugar concentration: 87% The syrup is formed into a stable ball, but loses its round shape once pressed. Caramels are cooked to the firm-ball stage.
• Hard Ball Stage: 250-266° sugar concentration: 92% The syrup holds its ball shape and deforms only slightly with very firm pressure, but remains sticky. Nougat, marshmallows, gummies, divinity, and rock candy are cooked to the hard-ball stage.
• Soft Crack Stage: 270-290° sugar concentration: 95% The syrup will form firm but pliable threads when removed from the water. Many different recipes require cooking candy to soft-crack stage, commonly including toffees, brittles, and butterscotch. Often, candies that are cooked to soft-crack stage feature a caramelized sugar flavor and a hard, pleasingly crunchy texture. Saltwater taffy and butterscotch are cooked to the soft-crack stage.
• Hard Crack Stage: 300-310° Sugar concentration: 99% The syrup will form brittle threads in the water, and will crack if you try to mold it. Toffee, nut brittles, and lollipops are all cooked to the hard-crack stage.
• Caramel Stage: 320-350° sugar concentration: 100% The sugar syrup will turn golden at this 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.
• Caramelizing Sugar: If you heat a sugar syrup to temperatures higher than any of the candy stages, you will be on your way to creating caramelized sugar (the brown liquid stage)—a rich addition to many desserts.
• Clear-Liquid Stage : 320° F sugar concentration: 100% At this temperature all the water has boiled away. The remaining sugar is liquid and light amber in color.
• Brown-Liquid Stage 338° F sugar concentration: 100% Now the liquefied sugar turns brown in color due to carmelization. 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.
• Burnt-Sugar Stage 350° F sugar concentration: 100% Watch out! Above about 350° F, the sugar begins to burn and develops a bitter, burnt taste.
• A candy thermometer is always the best way to go when making homemade candies so when purchasing a candy thermometer, look for one with a clear readout and an adjustable clip so it can be attached to the side of a pan. 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.
• Candy thermometers are the most accurate way of determining the temperature of boiling syrup. Always attach the thermometer to the side of the pan after washing down sugar crystals. Make sure that the thermometer does not touch the bottom of the pan. Read the thermometer at eye level. Verify the accuracy of a candy thermometer by checking its reading in boiling water. Water normally boils at 212°F at sea level. If your thermometer does not read 212°F, either you do not live at sea level or your thermometer is not accurate. (Water always boils at a lower temperature above sea level because there is less air pressure.) To adjust the temperature given on a recipe, add or subtract the difference from 212°F as needed. For example, if your thermometer reads 210°F in boiling water and the recipe temperature is 240°F, cook the candy to 238°F, or 2°F less than the temperature stated in the recipe.