Sugar Boiling

Sugar boiling is the basis of nearly all sweet making. Getting the various types of sugar boiling correct takes a bit of practice but once the basics are learnt then this skill we stand you in good stead for making great sweets. Have a few key utensils ready for when you start this process. Finding you have the wrong type of saucepans and thermometers can mean it isn't easy to create and gauge when your sugar boiling is ready. Use a good heavy based saucepan for boiling and most cookery shops serve jam making or sugar making thermometers. These are the heavy duty metal ones that are specifically designed to work for cooks and chefs. Never ever use a thermometer that has not been designed for cooking as shattering is highly likely and contents of these are dangerous if consumed.

The sugar is first dissolved in the liquid, then brought to the boil, 100C (212F). The temperature continues to rise as the water evaporates and the syrup thickens and becomes darker.
The following are the most important stages; they are best checked with a sugar thermometer but simple tests are described for those who don't have a sugar thermometer to hand.

Thread 102C-104C (215-220F) Used for crystallising purposes. The mixture looks syrupy. To test, dip your fingers in water and then very quickly in the syrup. The thumb will slide smoothly over the fingers but sugar will cling to them

Soft Ball. 116-118C (240-245F)
Used for fondants and fudges. Test by dropping a little of the syrup into very cold water. It should form a soft ball. At 116C (240F) the soft ball will flatten when you take it out of the water; the higher the temperature the firmer the ball.

Firm or hard ball (120-130C (250-265F)
Used for caramels. When dropping into cold water the syrup forms a ball which is hard enough to hold its shape, although still piable

Soft crack 132-143C (270-290F) Used for toffees, When dropped into cold water the syrup separates into hard and brittle threads.

Caramel 1600162C (320-325F) Used for pralines and caramels. The syrup turns golden brown when it reaches this temperature

Avoiding Crysallisation
Sugar must be dissolved and boiled with great care, as syrup has a tendency to re-crystallise if incorrectly handled. The main causes of crystallisation are agitation of the mixture by stirring or beating whilst the sugar is dissolving and the presence of solid particles during boiling.