Candy Cooking Temperature Chart • Loynds (2024)

FAQs

What temperature should you cook candy at? ›

Finally, if the candy forms hard, brittle strands that easily break, the candy is at the hard crack stage, between 300°—310°F. Butter toffee and peanut brittle are examples of candies cooked to this temperature.

Hard-crack stage (300 degrees Fahrenheit and above): A small amount of syrup added to cold water makes a loud cracking noise and separates into brittle threads. The hard-crack stage is for toffee and hard candies like lollipops. Above 330 degrees Fahrenheit, the sugar begins to caramelize and brown.

I have never used a candy thermometer when I make fudge and my fudge always turns out perfectly. I use the cold water drop test. When a drop of my pre-chocolate fudge mixture is dropped into a cup of very cold water and makes a soft flexible ball (soft ball stage), the fudge mixture temperature is 235–240 degrees F.

Cold water is one of the most common methods for testing candy temperature without a thermometer. To use this method, place a small piece of the candy in cold water and wait a few minutes. If the candy hardens, it is ready to be used. If it does not harden, it is still being prepared.

To make candy or jelly at home, it's essential to have a thermometer that can process particularly high temperatures. Though a meat thermometer might seem like a convenient substitute, it doesn't have the ability to read and process temperature to the same extent that a candy thermometer does.

Heat sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture is boiling, about 5 minutes. Stop stirring and boil until a candy thermometer reads 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), about 25 minutes.

It is easiest to make candy by using a candy thermometer but you can also use the Cold Water Test. The Cold Water Test can also be used along with a thermometer for the most accurate results.

Test the accuracy of your candy thermometer.

It should read 212 degrees F., while the water is boiling. If the thermometer does not measure boiling temperature correctly, remember to adjust the candy thermometer during cooking to reflect the difference, or dispose of it and replace with a new one.

How long does it take for candy to get to the 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.

Candy Thermometers

A candy thermometer is used to measure temperatures up to 400 degrees F.

The candy hard crack stage takes shape around 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149 degrees Celcius).

Hard-boiled candies production:

For this, cooking temperatures could be as high as 155°C at atmospheric pressure or lower if the cooker is equipped with a vacuum chamber. It is then cooled down to reach 105°C to 90°C before the addition of flavor, color and acids.

Higher temperatures with greater sugar concentrations usually result in hand candies, whereas, lower temperatures result in softer candies. Temperature control is critical when it comes to candy making, so having an accurate thermometer can make all the difference.

A candy thermometer is similar to a meat thermometer but can read higher temperatures, usually 400 °F/200 °C or more. Candy thermometers can also be used to measure hot oil for deep frying since it can reach higher temperatures than a normal thermometer.