A Few Things the Candy-Maker Should Know
The tests in cold water compared to degrees on the thermometer are as follows:
| 230 to 235 | degrees | Thread stage. |
| 238 to 240 | " | Soft ball stage. |
| 250 to 255 | " | Hard ball stage. |
| 280 to 290 | " | Crack stage. |
| 300 to 310 | " | Hard crack stage. |
In testing the syrup with the thermometer allow the thermometer to become hot gradually.
If one does not have a thermometer and has to test the syrup in cold water one will have to depend a great deal on sight and touch. The thread stage is found by letting a little syrup drop from a spoon; if it forms a thread then it is known as the thread stage. The soft ball stage is reached when the syrup forms a soft ball between the fingers when dropped in cold water, and the hard ball stage is reached when it makes a firm ball between the fingers when dropped in cold water. The crack stage is reached when it cracks or becomes brittle, and the hard crack stage is reached when all the water has evaporated and the syrup is about ready to burn. At this stage one must watch it very closely.
After the sugar has melted when put over the fire, wipe the sides of the kettle down carefully; this removes the undissolved sugar, which is apt to cause the rest to grain if not removed.
All scum should be carefully removed as soon as the syrup boils; but be careful not to stir the syrup or jar it any more than possible. Candies in which milk, cream or chocolate is used should be boiled in a deep vessel as they have a tendency to boil over. Sugar and water and corn syrup will not boil over, so that the depth of the vessel in which they are boiled does not matter so much.
Hard candies should be loosened up from the tin, or whatever they are molded in, before they are quite cool, or they will stick and be hard to remove. It is well to remember that nearly all hard candies will become sticky in warm weather, so should be kept in glass jars or wrapped in waxed paper.
If a batch of candy should become grainy and go back to sugar again it can be boiled over, adding a little more water and corn syrup or cream of tartar; but do not use the same vessel unless it has been well washed.