The Hard Stuff--Getting Into Candy (2024)

FAQs

What is the hard crack for 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.

The process of turning sugar into a hard, smooth, transparent confection involves heating a sugar/corn syrup/water solution to 300 – 310° F. {150 - 155° C.}, or what is known as the hard crack stage of sugar. The use of a candy thermometer is not essential, but highly recommended and accuracy is critical.

In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture. 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.

If your hard candy tastes grainy, you're likely re-introducing crystalized sugar into a pot of liquid candy.

While we all love our sweets here and there, both children and adults, hard candy can cause your teeth to crack or chip.

Sugar doesn't cause cavities on its own, but it feeds the bacteria that cause cavities. Hard candy is one the worst for your teeth, because of the risk of tooth fractures and the higher risk of cavities.

Candies that are both hard and sugary pose multiple threats to your teeth. The sugar of these candies cause tooth decay and can lead to more serious problems. Chewing these hard candies exposes your teeth to chipping or even tooth damage. You could even cut your mouth if you are not careful.

Hard candy - Hard candies can last up to a year when stored at room temperature or in a cool, dry location. Jellied candies - If the packaging has been opened, soft candies should be stored away from heat and light at room temperature (about 70 degrees). Stored in this manner, the candy should last 6-9 months.

Texture Changes

Another tell-tale sign is a change in texture. Hard candies can become sticky or even soft, while chewy candies can harden over time. If your Skittles have morphed into tiny rocks or transformed into gooey blobs, they're past their prime.

Jolly Ranchers are also the hardest of the hard candies—they're like concentrated and pressurized diamonds of fruity sugar. The endurance factor is also very strong; you can suck on a Jolly Rancher longer than any other candy on this list. It's an all-time classic hard candy.

What does cream of tartar do to hard candy? ›

Cream of tartar can prevent your homemade hard candy, caramel, and toffee from forming a gritty texture due to sugar crystallization. Adding a pinch of cream of tartar to your sugar syrup will help break down the sugar molecules and stop them from crystalizing early on.

Pulling candy is the most crucial step during the manufacturing process. The process is necessary for the addition of air into the batch. The incorporation of air bubbles makes the candy lightweight for easy chewing. This explains why candies are always less hard and brittle.

One way to prevent the crystallization of sucrose in candy is to make sure that there are other types of sugar—usually fructose and glucose—to get in the way and slow down or inhibit the process.

This is crystallization and it is sometime happens with hard candies. Crystallization can happen from storage conditions or other factors. There is very low moisture content in hard candy, which prevents mold from growing.

Avoid Moisture Mixes.

Storing these sweets in the same container will cause the harder candies to become sticky. To make sure that hard candies stay hard, sprinkle with finely ground sugar and store in an airtight jar.

The hard, shiny shells on candies are often made from shellac, a resin secreted by the lac bug. You may know shellac from its more famous work in varnishes and sealants, but it's also a mainstay in pill coatings, candy, coffee beans, and even the waxy sheen on apples and other fruits and vegetables.

The difference between a hard ball and soft crack is that at hard ball stage, the sugar forms a firm but pliable ball rather than threads. The difference between soft crack and hard crack is that at the hard crack, the threads will not bend and will simply break if you try to bend them.

Most people agree that toffee is cooked to soft crack stage, which is at temperature of 135°C – 140°C (275°F – 284°F), or hard crack stage which occurs at temperature of 145°C – 155°C (293°F – 311°F). More precisely, this candy is usually cooked at temperatures from 140°C – 150°C (284°F – 302°F).

Just Say No to Hard Candy

The hard texture of the candy can cause severe damage to your teeth. If you get tired of sucking on a hard candy and decide to crunch it up by biting down on it, you could crack or chip a tooth or cause damage to previous dental work, such as fillings, dental bridges, or dental crowns.