Hard Candy Help: Sugar is burning

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nastal

Assistant Cook
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
4
Location
Sonoma, California
Please help! I'm very frustrated. I'm trying to make hard candy and my sugar is burning. My first try it burnt terrible and its getting better and better but it still starts to turn amber.

It starts to smell burnt and turns amber at around 270. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!
 
the sugar is burning because it got too hot.

the actual question is not why the sugar is burning, the actual question why is it getting too hot.

melted sugar is very viscous, does not pick up / lose heat very fast.
one possibility is that the heat under the pot is simply too high - if you move the thermometer around inside a pot of melted sugar, you'll very likely find plus minus tens of degrees differences.

the sugar at the bottom is getting much hotter than the sugar where you are measuring the temperature, it burns, then it's getting mixed in with the unburned stuff.

or, the thermometer could be seriously out of calibration....

once the sugar is melted, use very low heat - and a flame tamer if you've got one.

sugar cannot be rushed.
 
If you're using store-brand sugar it's beet-sugar; I'd swap it out for real cane sugar.

I know that some people swear there is no difference but *I* find that there is. And I always have better luck using cane sugar!

G'luck to ya!
 
hi,

thanks for the post. this is my recipe:

2 cups sugar, ¾ cup water, 2/3 cup syrup,

I started adding 2 tsp citric acid because i wanted a tangy-er candy

i started adding ¼ tsp cream of tartar because I thought it would hlep make them more clear looking.
 
If you're using store-brand sugar it's beet-sugar; I'd swap it out for real cane sugar.

I know that some people swear there is no difference but *I* find that there is. And I always have better luck using cane sugar!

G'luck to ya!
Oh yes, there most definitely is a difference. It's the same with jam. You get a better set with cane sugar. I thought it was just me until I read an article by the Women's Institute's chief jam and marmalade judge which confirmed it. I don't buy beet sugar at all these days.
 
Sounds very compelling. I hear it and I'm going to change my sugars.

Where do you buy cane sugar? I tried to check my local markets and they didn't give me conclusive information as to whether it was a mix or straight cane. Most places seem to have beet sugar.

Any thoughts?
 
Sounds very compelling. I hear it and I'm going to change my sugars.

Where do you buy cane sugar? I tried to check my local markets and they didn't give me conclusive information as to whether it was a mix or straight cane. Most places seem to have beet sugar.

Any thoughts?
Unfortunately I can't help. I'm in the UK. I buy Tate and Lyle's sugar which has the advantage of being Fairtrade (or so it says)

The USA produces some sugar cane in Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas but by global standards it isn't a huge amount and the USA has stringent rules about importing cane sugar.

Domino Pure Cane sugar is the one you want according to my spies. It should say 100% pure can sugar on the packet. Not cheap.
 
Sounds very compelling. I hear it and I'm going to change my sugars.

Where do you buy cane sugar? I tried to check my local markets and they didn't give me conclusive information as to whether it was a mix or straight cane. Most places seem to have beet sugar.

Any thoughts?
Ask to speak to the shop manager or the grocery buyer. The shop assistants may not know
 
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