A candy thermometer (also referred to as a sugar thermometer) is an indispensable kitchen tool for baking and candy making. Able to withstand higher temperatures than traditional thermometers, these special devices allow users to read them at eye level for easier readout.
Cooking candy requires extreme precision; even minor variations can affect its outcome, from chewy to hard. Therefore, it is vital that your candy thermometer be regularly tested and calibrated.
Boiling Water Test
If you are still using Grandma’s old candy thermometer, it may be time for an upgrade. Old thermometers tend to break and fail to read accurately – which can have devastating results if off by just one degree! A high-quality digital thermometer is an invaluable way to take your baking and candy making skills to new levels.
Most digital candy thermometers are built to withstand high heat. Their probes are longer than meat thermometers, allowing you to easily insert them into boiling sugar without risk of burns. Plus, most digital candy thermometers feature plastic covers which protect their LCD screens from being damaged during use and alert you when your desired temperature has been reached so you can take immediate action before pulling out the probe and continuing cooking!
A quality digital candy thermometer should be easy to calibrate and read, making them convenient to keep in the kitchen drawer with other utensils. Calibration can be achieved by heating a pot of water until boiling before submerging your thermometer in it for approximately 10 minutes to calibrate it.
Digital thermometers that read 212 degrees are ready to use, though most manufacturers recommend that it is read at eye level and submerged no deeper than 2 inches into water.
If the thermometer reads above 212 degrees, it requires calibration. You can verify its accuracy by placing it in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes and comparing its reading with that of your recipe. If it reads less than 212 degrees, adjustments must be made accordingly in your recipes.
Keep a spare candy thermometer on hand in case the one you have breaks. Also, periodically test its accuracy – particularly when cooking large cuts of meat like whole hams or turkeys as these must reach certain internal temperatures to be consumed safely.
Test for Accuracy
Your thermometer may seem redundant in your everyday cooking, yet its accuracy could mean the difference between delicious caramels and sugar-flavored rocks. Therefore, it is a wise move to regularly test it by simply sliding it into boiling water – if its temperature varies significantly from its stated reading, consider replacing your thermometer immediately!
Thermometers can be found at most supermarkets and houseware stores, and you probably already own one. But since you will likely use your candy thermometer to cook hot liquids such as candy mixture or frying oil, its design must take into account higher temperatures while remaining robust enough to withstand knocks or thermal shocks caused by cooking processes.
Candy or deep fryer thermometers differ from meat thermometers in that their round tip can easily fit into boiling liquids, making it safer for users’ fingers and hands to remain away from heat-soaked areas. Furthermore, many include clips to secure them to the side of a pan for easy use while staying out of harm’s way!
Candy thermometers provide quick and accurate measurements for liquids at boiling point, but their reading may be inaccurate in higher altitudes due to being dependent on water temperature readings. Therefore, it’s essential that at least once during each cooking session you check its reading against your recipe – if they differ significantly then that means your thermometer needs replacing immediately.
Serious candy makers recognize the risk that any cracks, scratches, or dust particles on a traditional candy thermometer glass may produce seed crystals which cause candies to turn grainy quickly – the leading cause of poor homemade sweets and food products containing sugar-based sweeteners.
When making recipes that require boiling sugar, it’s vital to ensure your candy thermometer is clean and in working condition. Before every use and also after each time of usage to see if replacement might be necessary – taking this small step could prevent candy-making disasters!
High Altitude Test
As those living or traveling to higher altitudes know, the boiling point of water decreases at higher elevations, necessitating changes to candy recipes for altitudes above sea level. A general guideline is to subtract three degrees from original temperature listed in your recipe when adapting for altitude changes above sea level. Unfortunately, keeping track of conversions can be difficult without keeping written notes of conversions, however a new test called the High Altitude Simulation Test (HAST) has recently become available that helps chronic lung disease patients determine how much additional oxygen they require when traveling by air or when visiting higher altitudes.
HAST is a breathing test conducted using a face mask and special gas mixture that mimics oxygen levels found on an airplane cabin at certain altitudes. Patients wear the mask while their doctor closely monitors their heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation during testing.
At various altitudes, the air pressure is gradually reduced from normal in order to simulate low oxygen levels found on airplane cabins at various altitudes – the standard altitude being 8,000 feet; other altitudes may also be used. This test can assist physicians in deciding how much supplemental oxygen a patient requires before traveling or flying as well as determine if they require higher liter flow rates during flight.
The high altitude test (HAST) can also be used to assess the performance of products and packaging systems that will be subjected to variable atmospheric conditions, such as aerospace components. For instance, many aerospace parts require systems capable of withstanding reduced air pressure during rapid decompression – these components include safety equipment such as seals and safety valves for quick decompression as well as technical instruments, controls, ejection systems and optical gear. HAST may be utilized as a means of testing other equipment/materials exposed to low air pressure during transport/storage.
Storage
Home candy makers typically employ some form of thermometer when crafting homemade candies at home, especially those popular varieties such as caramels, fudge, toffee and taffy that require heating up a sugar solution to high temperatures for desired outcomes like chewy caramels or hard candy. People used to gauge this temperature by sticking their finger into the mixture or dropping spoonfuls of syrup onto an ice water surface to judge whether it had reached its optimal consistency.
Candy thermometers are specially calibrated cooking thermometers designed to give chefs more precise knowledge of when their recipe has reached its ideal stage. Constructed of glass, they come equipped with metal clips for attaching them directly onto pot sides – and are usually equipped with scales marking temperatures required at various stages in a candy recipe’s development process.
Thermometers have many uses in the kitchen and can be purchased at most grocery stores and general hardware retailers. Some thermometers are specifically designed for specific tasks, like the deep frying thermometer which helps ensure meat and fish reach safe internal temperatures when being deep fried. Furthermore, thermometers can also help when creating sweet dishes like taffy and caramels that require boiling sugar to reach certain temperatures – including use when creating delicious confectionery masterpieces!
If you own a classic glass bulb thermometer, it is crucial that it is stored safely so it does not break. A thermometer may become dislodged from its place on your stove or cabinet and its numbers could wear away with prolonged contact with harsh cleaning chemicals; thus it would be wise to always keep a spare candy thermometer handy just in case one breaks as this can be extremely annoying when in the middle of an important candy making project and require immediate temperature readings.