‘Tis the season already! The holiday candy making season gets into a full sprint as we close in on Thanksgiving.
What You Need To Know
- Candies, like brittle, are best made on cool, dry days
- Cool weather helps avoid unwanted candy crystals from forming
- Proper storage is also critical for the quality and longevity of the candy
We are now in the season of making candies and other holiday treats. The weather can be a big factor when making some holiday favorites.
I tend to cook or bake many things that I remember my mom and grandmother used to make way back in the day. The smells, the taste and the process of making these treats help reconnect us with old, happy family holiday memories.
What weather is best?
The old classic candy divinity is one such candy that needs a good, dry forecast for several days when making. This cloud-looking candy can be a fickle beast to make if there is too much humidity around. The candy needs drier air to set properly.
In the South, you rarely find people making this confection in the middle of summer!
Most candies made with candy syrup require a specific ratio of sugar to moisture. I’ve been making my family’s 200-plus-year-old peanut brittle recipe since the passing of my Grandma Crum over 20 years ago. I’ve learned thatbrittle is better when made on a cool, dryday.
When I’ve made the candy on a warmer,humid day, it tends to be a stickier brittle.This is because the brittle takes longer to cool, and it reaches a point where it is no longer evaporating moisture into the air. It reabsorbsmoisture from the air and forms unwanted crystals.
Cooler temperatures help candy cool quicker, and it creates less of a chance to form unwanted and ill-structured candy crystals.
So, if you are thinking about venturing into some candy-making this holiday season, pick a cool, dry series of days to make your candies. After making your confections, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Candies that are not stored properly can become sticky as they soften. As mentioned earlier, nobody enjoys a lackluster brittle or a divinity that’s mush. Happy candy-making!
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.
FAQs
Oddly enough, it can. Cooking candy syrup to the desired temperature means achieving a certain ratio of sugar to moisture in the candy. On a humid day, once the candy has cooled to the point where it is no longer evaporating moisture into the air, it can actually start reabsorbing moisture from the air.
Does weather affect candy making? ›
When I've made the candy on a warmer, humid day, it tends to be a stickier brittle. This is because the brittle takes longer to cool, and it reaches a point where it is no longer evaporating moisture into the air. It reabsorbs moisture from the air and forms unwanted crystals.
What is the best weather for candy making? ›
Once the candy has cooled to the point where it can no longer evaporate moisture, it can actually begin to reabsorb moisture. This produces a softer product than may be desirable. For best results, restrict candy making to days when the relative humidity is below 35 percent.
Why is temperature important in candy making? ›
The final outcome of the candy depends on the sugar concentration or the syrup. Higher temperatures with greater sugar concentrations usually result in hand candies, whereas, lower temperatures result in softer candies.
Can you make candy when it's raining? ›
It's best to make candy on a cool, dry day. If it's humid or rainy, the candy might end up with a more sugary, grainy texture. If you are making candy on a hot or humid day, cook the candy until the thermometer registers 1 to 2 degrees higher than the recipe specifies.
What is considered low humidity for candy making? ›
That's part of why candy making is so prevalent in winter; the best climate for making candy has a relative humidity of less than 35%, and cold air usually has less moisture than hot air.
Why won't my homemade candy harden? ›
If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.
What temperature is hard crack when making candy? ›
300° F–310° F
The hard-crack stage is the highest temperature you are likely to see specified in a candy recipe. At these temperatures, there is almost no water left in the syrup. Drop a little of the molten syrup in cold water and it will form hard, brittle threads that break when bent.
What candy doesn't melt in hot weather? ›
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.
Does altitude affect candy making? ›
Rule of Thumb: For each 1,000 feet above sea level, reduce the temperatures in the recipe 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.
Humidity can cause fudge to boil over in the pan or stay soft when set, so try to avoid working on humid days if at all possible. If waiting for a less humid day isn't feasible, you'll need to boil your fudge at a slightly higher temperature than usual — or just order some delicious fudge from Wockenfuss!
Will candy melt in hot weather? ›
While exposure to high temperatures affects all food products to some degree, most candy is relatively stable. Some types of candy can melt, including chocolate, caramels, marshmallows, and gelatin-based gummies.
How does weather impact the temperature a candy mixture should reach? ›
If the weather is cold, the temperature of the environment may aid in cooling the mixture faster. On the other hand, if it is humid outside, this can slow the evaporation process from the candy mixture and affect the final texture and hardness of the candy.
What temperature do you make candy? ›
Candy Temperature Chart
| Thread | begins at 230 F |
|---|
| Hard Ball | begins at 250 F |
| Soft Crack | begins at 270 F |
| Hard Crack | begins at 300 F |
| Caramelized Sugar | 310 F to 338 F |
2 more rowsJan 16, 2020
Controlling excessive humidity is critical to avoiding quality issues like chocolate blooming. Chocolate blooms, specifically sugar bloom happens when humidity starts to dissolve sugar crystals on the surface of the chocolate and leaves behind a white powdery-looking film.
How long does homemade candy last? ›
Most candies will keep 2 to 3 weeks (if not longer) if stored tightly covered in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. It's best to avoid storing different types of candy together in the same container because hard candies will become soft and sticky, and soft candies will dry out.
Does temperature matter when making rock candy? ›
Higher temperatures will result in greater water evaporation, thereby increasing sugar solution saturation, and thus greater crystal formation (Hartel and Shastry, 1991).
