The Sweet Science of Sugar Stages
Anyone from a beginner to an experienced baker can feel intimidated by cooking sugar. It’s a process that demands precision—high temperatures, rapid reactions, and just a moment’s hesitation can turn a golden caramel into a burnt mess. But with the right equipment and an understanding of how sugar behaves at different temperatures, you’ll be well on your way to candy-making confidence.
We’re focusing here on sugar syrup: a mixture of granulated sugar and water that is heated to a boil. As it cooks, the water evaporates and the sugar becomes more concentrated. This is how you control the syrup’s final consistency—ranging from soft and pliable to hard and brittle. These are known as the stages of sugar, and they’re the foundation for everything from marshmallows to brittle to spun sugar and caramel.
Essential Equipment
While candy thermometers have long been the go-to tool, today’s digital thermometers offer quicker, more accurate readings. Traditional clip-on thermometers keep your hand safely away from the sugar, but they can be hard to read—and over time, they may drift a few degrees off. A digital or instant-read thermometer gives fast results and a more reliable temperature readout.
Don’t have a thermometer? You can still determine the sugar stage using the cold water
method. Fill a clear container with ice water and then drizzle a small amount of the syrup into it. As it instantly cools, the shape and texture it forms will reveal what stage it’s at.
Temperature
WHY ARE THERE TWO TEMPERATURE READINGS IN A CARAMEL RECIPE?
Once sugar reaches the caramel stage, all the water has cooked off, leaving behind a dry, brittle mass. That’s perfect if you’re making spun sugar or praline— but not so great if you want a silky sauce or chewy candy. To transform caramelized sugar into something smoother and more workable, recipes add fat (like cream or butter) and sometimes a bit of additional liquid. From there, the mixture is cooked again to a second, specific temperature. This final stage determines the finished texture—whether it stays pourable for sauces, sets up soft for caramels, or firms into toffee.
The Sugars
The post The Sweet Science of Sugar Stages first appeared on Bake from Scratch.