Serves: 5
We all need a sweet indulgence-truffles, fudge, caramels, popcorn balls or toffee-at some time. For gifts or for enjoying at home, there’s nothing like homemade candy. With the following guidelines, you’ll find making candy at home surprisingly easy.
Pans and Pan Preparation
Pan size-for cooking and shaping-can make a difference.
Use the size saucepan called for in a recipe. A saucepan that’s too large or too small can affect cooking time.
When you’re shaping candy, if the pan is too large, the candy will be spread too thin if it’s too small, the candy will be too thick. You’ll end up with the most evenly shaped pieces if you use a square or rectangular pan with straight sides.
To easily remove candy from pans, it’s best to grease them with butter or margarine, not shortening (butter and margarine simply taste better), or to line them with aluminum foil.
Mixing and Cooking
Be sure to use full-fat butter or margarine--not vegetable oil spreads or tub products--so that candies will "set up" or have a nice brittle texture.
Don’t double the recipe-make two batches instead. Increasing the amount of ingredients changes the cooking time.Make candy on a cool, dry day, because heat and humidity, as well as altitude, can affect how candy turns out. If it’s humid, cook candy to a temperature one degree or so higher than the recipe says.
Make sure your sugar has a chance to dissolve completely over low heat or your candy will crystallize or be grainy. So stir down any sugar grains from the side of the saucepan. Or when you start cooking the candy, cover the pan for a few minutes the steam inside will wash down any sugar crystals from the side.
After candy has boiled, do not stir it until it has cooled to keep it from crystallizing or becoming grainy.
Determining When Candy Is Done
Using a reliable candy thermometer makes knowing when candy is done easy. Here are a few tips for using a candy thermometer:
Check to see if it’s accurate by putting the thermometer in water and then boiling the water. The thermometer should read 212°. If the reading is higher or lower, take the difference into account when making candy.
Check an altitude table to find out the boiling point in your area, then adjust the cooking time if necessary.
To get an accurate reading, be sure the thermometer stands upright in the candy mixture. The bulb, or tip, of the thermometer shouldn’t rest on the bottom of the pan. Read the thermometer at eye level. Watch the temperature closely--after 200°, it goes up very quickly.
If you don’t have a thermometer, use the cold water test. With a clean spoon, drop a small amount of candy mixture into a cupful of very cold water. Test the hardness with your fingers. If the candy doesn’t pass the test, keep cooking.
Candy Cooking Tests
Hardness Temperature Cold Water Test
Soft ball 234° to 240° Forms a soft ball that flattens between fingers
Firm ball 242° to 248° Forms a firm ball that holds its shape until pressed
Hard ball 250° to 268° Forms a hard ball that holds its shape but is pliable
Soft crack 270° to 290° Separates into hard but pliable threads
Hard crack 300° to 310° Separates into hard, brittle threads that break easily
Storing Candy
Store candy tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, unless a recipe directs you to do otherwise. Or wrap candy tightly and freeze for up to 6 months. To thaw, let the candy stand covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before serving.
From "Betty Crocker's Complete Cookbook, Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, 9th Edition." Text Copyright 2000 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This CANDY BASICS recipe is from the Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 9th Edition Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.
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