Stages of Sugar Soft to hard Thread Stage
- Slides: 7
Stages of Sugar Soft to hard
Thread Stage • 230 degrees to 235 degrees • Dissolves when dropped into a glass of cold water • Forms a soft thread that will not hold its shape • Sugar syrup • Examples; simple syrup, rock candy, meringue, Pates de fruit. • When mixed with a protein (eggs and cream) delays the coagulation of protein structures allowing custards to thicken properly as in pastry cream, or crème anglaise.
Soft ball Stage • 235 -240 degrees • When dropped in cold water forms a soft, pliable ball • Heated high enough to kill bacteria when used with egg whites • Stabilizies meringue, firm peaks, • Examples; fudge, Italian buttercream, macaron shells, pralines, caramel sauces.
Firm ball stage • 245 250 degrees • Dropped into cold water it will form a firm ball but still malleable • Sugar develops a chewy texture • Examples; taffy, caramel, fruit gummis, Turkish delights
Hard ball stage • 250 -265 degrees • Sugar is a beautiful thick syrup, forms a hard ball when dropped into cold water and will cling to a spoon • Hard ball can be malleable • Boiling bubbles are smaller and start to pop slower because moisture has started to boil off. • Gives structure to aerated products like whipped egg whites • Cooks egg whites, stabilizes proteins • Fluffy, flexible texture • Examples; divinity (southern specialty light and made with pecans, • Fondant, marshmallows.
Soft crack stage • 270 -290 degrees • Dropped into cold water it forms hard flexible threads • Boiled bubbles are thicker, smaller and closer together • Firmer and more shelf stable candy products • Examples; European nougat, brittle, butterscotch
Hard crack stage • 300 310 degrees • Hot stuff! • When dropped in cold water produces rock hard threads • All the moisture is boiled out and the what’s left is a crystalline structure that is smooth and transparent • If exposed to moisture it will start to form crystals again because the sugar has re-dissolved and the crystals re-form • Examples; lollipops, sponge candy, brittle, cotton candy, sugared nuts, sugar sculptures, candy apples