Going to try making hard candy tonight.
- Thread starter goboenomo
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
boufa06
Executive Chef
SNPiccolo5
Senior Cook
As obvious as this sounds- I imagine it means an oil based flavoring? Vanilla could mess up the chemistry of the sugar at high temps as it is mostly alcohol, although I could be wrong. Let us know what you find out!
boufa06
Executive Chef
Right you are. I have not done hard candy before but do know about caramelization when I make cream caramel. I usually apply the guesstimate game. But you might want to test the degree of caramelization by dropping a small spoonful into a bowl of ice water. Incidentally, I have a candy thermometer but have not got round to using it.
Do not forget to send some over if you are successful!
Do not forget to send some over if you are successful!
college_cook
Head Chef
Yeah, you really should get yourself a proper candy thermometer if you're going to attempt making candy. Other thermometers might not work properly, and candy is a pretty delicate balance of heat from what i understand.
mudbug
Chef Extraordinaire
If you want to make hard candy (I don't) you have to cook your mixture to the "hard crack" stage. Somebody with more expertise than I will give you more details. You also could research posts by a former member of DC, Audeo, who I guess still makes a lot of candy. Check the Candies thread in Desserts forum.
aguynamedrobert
Senior Cook
ice water test
You are correct...you don't absolutely need a candy thermometer. boufa06 was correct.
What you do is have a bowl of ice water(water with ice cubes actually in it) and then as the candy is cooking you can drop a small amount into the ice water. That will make the candy cool very quickly and will become the hardness that it will be when it is completely cooled. So then you can just check the cooked candy that you droped in the ice water and see if it is the hardness you want....try it out...I use this method myself a lot...
-Robert
www.chocolateguild.com/vb
You are correct...you don't absolutely need a candy thermometer. boufa06 was correct.
What you do is have a bowl of ice water(water with ice cubes actually in it) and then as the candy is cooking you can drop a small amount into the ice water. That will make the candy cool very quickly and will become the hardness that it will be when it is completely cooled. So then you can just check the cooked candy that you droped in the ice water and see if it is the hardness you want....try it out...I use this method myself a lot...
-Robert
www.chocolateguild.com/vb
Shunka
Head Chef
Hard crack stage will make the candy you put into the cold water hardened before it can hit the bottom of the glass you are using. This is the way my Grandmother always tested her candy; I live at a high altitude and a candy thermometer doesn't always work right so I do it the way I learned. I always use a clear smooth glass ( a pint jar would work for this) so that I can see the candy in the water. If it turns cloudy as you put less than a teaspoon in, it is no where near ready. BTW, this is how I test the sugar mixture for popcorn balls too. Gobo, you can use a clear butter extract (like what is used in wedding cake icings) in that recipe to give it a melt in your mouth taste!!
Last edited:
danger! danger!
absolutely don't use regular vanilla for hard candy! you must use an oil based flavoring. because the temperature of the candy is way above the boiling point of water (and even more above the boiling point of alcohol) adding water or vanilla essence will result in searingly hot sugar syrup violently boiling over or splattering around.
if you're experienced and know what you're doing, you can get away with it by ... well... i'm not going to tell you, because it's too dangerous for a novice. just remember that you can get severely burned by hot sugar. make sure you're wearing long sleeves, and don't go poking your nose near it to see how it smells. don't do anything in haste, and whatever you add, do it drop by drop. if for any reason you need to lower the temp. use boiling water (not room temp. or cold), again very little by very little.
don't let this put you off from making candy. it's actually easy and safe if you use some common sense. i just want to give you a heads up on this, 'cause a lot of "common sense" is learned in hindsight after making mistakes. in this case, a mistake could result in a bad burn if you're not careful. good luck!
absolutely don't use regular vanilla for hard candy! you must use an oil based flavoring. because the temperature of the candy is way above the boiling point of water (and even more above the boiling point of alcohol) adding water or vanilla essence will result in searingly hot sugar syrup violently boiling over or splattering around.
if you're experienced and know what you're doing, you can get away with it by ... well... i'm not going to tell you, because it's too dangerous for a novice. just remember that you can get severely burned by hot sugar. make sure you're wearing long sleeves, and don't go poking your nose near it to see how it smells. don't do anything in haste, and whatever you add, do it drop by drop. if for any reason you need to lower the temp. use boiling water (not room temp. or cold), again very little by very little.
don't let this put you off from making candy. it's actually easy and safe if you use some common sense. i just want to give you a heads up on this, 'cause a lot of "common sense" is learned in hindsight after making mistakes. in this case, a mistake could result in a bad burn if you're not careful. good luck!
I think those are alcohol based. Check the label gobo, they will list it there.
candelbc
Senior Cook
I use LorAnn Oil Flavorings for my candies. They haven't let me down yet..
aguynamedrobert
Senior Cook
Hello,
Hum...well I have never heard of not using regular vanilla for candies but I guess I might have never used it for hard candies...mostly for caramels...I don't see a horrible problem but if you try it out just be carefull when you do. Always be carefull when cooking with sugar...I have seen someone get hot sugar all over their hand and it had to be wrapped up for a month because it burned all the skin on his hand...just be carefull.
Look up essential oils online or go to a whole foods store...many times they have some there...
-Robert
www.chocolateguild.com
Hum...well I have never heard of not using regular vanilla for candies but I guess I might have never used it for hard candies...mostly for caramels...I don't see a horrible problem but if you try it out just be carefull when you do. Always be carefull when cooking with sugar...I have seen someone get hot sugar all over their hand and it had to be wrapped up for a month because it burned all the skin on his hand...just be carefull.
Look up essential oils online or go to a whole foods store...many times they have some there...
-Robert
www.chocolateguild.com
Hot Boiling sugar=Confectionery NAPALM
