Successful candy making requires achieving thedesired degree of sugar concentration for a quality product. Recipes that workat sea level will need temperature adjustments when being prepared at higherelevations, directly related to changes in the boiling point.
High Elevation Adjustment for Candy
Rule of Thumb: For each 1,000 feet above sea level, reduce the temperatures in the recipe by 2°F.
This adjustment allows thecandy maker to control the degree of evaporation necessary to achieve the propersugar concentration for the desired end product.
At sea level, the boiling point of liquids is 212°F, but for every 500 feet above sea level, the boiling point decreases by 1°F due to less resistance on surface molecules. For example, at 5,000 feet water boils at 202°F, which is 10 degrees less than at sea level. The lower the boiling point, the quicker evaporation occurs, so at higher elevations, this faster loss of water can result in a sugar mixture either becoming too hard or grainy if the recipe is not adjusted for the elevation.
Candy thermometers typically measure from 100– 400°F, should come with a clip to attach to the side of the pan, and be easyto read. They come in variety of styles and are a worthwhile investment for thecandy maker. Newer models contain non-toxic alcohol (blue-colored liquid) anddigital brands can come with alarm features to signal when the desiredtemperature is reached. For those without a thermometer, cold water tests canhelp determine the various stages of sugar cookery, and are shown in Table 1.
Caution: Care should be taken if using an older, mercury-based candy thermometer. If breakage occurs, it must be treated and disposed of as hazardous waste, for which safe and quick clean-up facts can be accessed at:http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mercury/docs/ResidentialSpillCleanup.pdf.
High Elevation Candy Making (Sugar Solution) Adjustments
Product
Cold Water Test
Color of Solution
Finish Temperature
Sea Level
5,000'
7,500'
Cream candies and filling
Soft Ball
Clear
234-240˚F
224-230˚F
219-225˚F
Chew candies
Firm Ball
Clear
244-248˚F
232-238˚F
227-233˚F
Pull candies, fillings and frosting with egg whites
Hard Ball
Slight color
250-260˚F
241-258˚F
235-253˚F
Toffees
Soft Crack
Yellowish
270-284˚F
260-280˚F
255-275˚F
Brittles
Hard Crack
Light golden
300-308˚F
290-300˚F
285-295˚F
Reminder: For every 1,000 feet elevation above sea level, decrease the temperature(s) in the recipe by 2˚F. (Example: You live at 10,000' and your recipe indicates a finish temperature of 236˚F. 10 x2˚F. = 20˚F, so your adjusted finish temperature is 236˚F- 20˚F=216˚F.)
About Sugaring in Candies
Grainy candy is often a result of sugarcrystals finding their way into the candy as it cooks or cools. This applies toboth types of candies – the crystalline such as fudge, divinity and fondant andthe non-crystalline such as taffy, caramel, and brittle.
If the recipe calls forbutter (and remember to use unsalted butter), grease the sides of the saucepanbefore adding other ingredients.
Firstbring the liquid to a boil.
Removepan from the heat and add sugar.
Returnpan to the heat, cover with a lid, and leave long enough for the mixture toboil and develop steam to wash down the crystals from the sides of the pan.
Uncoverthe pan to permit evaporation.
Do notstir after uncovering, but continue cooking until mixture reaches desiredtemperature (measured with thermometer) or concentration (using cold watertest).
Allowcandy to cool undisturbed. Any agitation will cause the sugar to crystallizeand result in sugary candy.
Fornon-crystalline candies (i.e. taffies, caramels and brittles), hold thesaucepan within an inch or so of the cooling pan when pouring. Never scrape thelast of the syrup.
For each 1,000 feet above sea level, reduce the recipe's temperature(s) by 2°F. This adjustment allows the candy maker to control the degree of evaporation necessary to achieve the proper sugar concentration for the desired end product.
You simply submerge the thermometer in boiling water and note the temperature five minutes after the water comes to a boil. At sea level, water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius), but it boils lower temperatures at higher altitudes.
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.
For every 1,000 feet elevation above sea level, decrease the temperature(s) in the recipe by 2˚F. (Example: You live at 10,000' and your recipe indicates a finish temperature of 236˚F. 10 x2˚F. = 20˚F, so your adjusted finish temperature is 236˚F- 20˚F=216˚F.)
As altitude increases, temperature decreases. Various factors are responsible for this, including air pressure and water-vapour content. With every 100 metres, the temperature drops by an average of 0.65°C.
Increase baking temperature by 15 to 25 °F to help “set” the batter before cells formed by the leavening gas expand too much. Note that baking time may be reduced so check during baking. Excessive evaporation of water at high elevation leads to high concentration of sugar, which weakens the cell structure.
Ascend gradually. Avoid traveling from a low elevation to an elevation higher than 9,000 feet (2,750 m) above sea level in one day. If possible, spend a few days at 8,000–9,000 feet before traveling to a higher elevation. This gives your body time to adjust to the lower oxygen levels.
The Denver, Colorado elevation is about 5,280 feet above sea level; there's a reason it's called the “Mile High City”! Adjusting to that altitude can cause trouble for visitors and new residents to the city, especially if they are on the go skiing, biking, hiking, or just generally being active in the thinner air.
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.
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.
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.
The best candies to enjoy in the summer won't melt in your hand, and will be supremely delightful and refreshing. We recommend bringing a selection of our licorice, hard candies, salt water taffy, and gummi candies to your next day at the beach, poolside, or park.
At this stage, the moisture content is low. When you drop a bit of this syrup into cold water, it will solidify into threads that, when removed from the water, are flexible, not brittle. They will bend slightly before breaking. Saltwater taffy and butterscotch are cooked to the soft-crack stage.
Your thermometer's accuracy is not compromised at high altitude and does not need to be calibrated to accommodate the conditions caused by decreased air pressure.
You can manually calibrate the barometric altimeter if you know the correct elevation.
Hold MENU.
Select Sensors & Accessories > Altimeter.
Select an option: To calibrate automatically from your GPS starting point, select Auto Cal.. To enter the current elevation manually, select Calibrate > Enter Manually.
The best digital candy thermometer, Thermapen® ONE is accurate to within ±0.5°F (0.34°C) throughout the entire candy-making range, and you can set it to show tenths of degrees. That kind of accuracy can allow you to fine-tune your caramels and other candies to get perfect results every time.
Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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