Pastry Chef Online: How to Think Like a Pastry Chef
How to Think Like a Pastry Chef
Stages of Sugar
Working
with sugar is a fairly exact science, so it pays to know how its
behavior changes as its temperature rises. It is always safest to use
a candy thermometer, but if you don't have one, or the dog hid yours,
you should also be able to tell the stage based on how the sugar
behaves when dripped into chilled water.
Stage Temp Cold H2O Test
Stage Temp Cold H2O Test
| Thread | begins at 230° | The syrup will make a 2" thread when dropped from a spoon. |
| Soft Ball | begins at 234° | A small amount of syrup dropped into chilled water forms a ball, but flattens when picked up with fingers |
| Firm Ball | begins at 244° | The ball will hold its shape and flatten only when pressed. |
| Hard Ball | begins at 250° | The ball is more rigid but still pliable. |
| Soft Crack | begins at 270° | When a small amount of syrup is dropped into chilled water it will separate into threads which will bend when picked up. |
| Hard Crack | begins at 300° | The syrup separates into threads that are hard and brittle. |
| Caramel Sugar | 310° to 338° | Between these temperatures the syrup will turn a progressively darker golden/amber. By 350, it's toast. |
