Cooking Sugar Syrup to the Soft Ball Stage

When sugar and water are boiled together, the sugar becomes more concentrated. To make 1 cup of syrup and bring it to the soft ball stage, combine 1 cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of corn syrup, and ½ cup of water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar. Bring the syrup to a simmer and brush down the sides, using a brush dipped in cold water, to prevent crystals from forming. As the bubbles in the simmering syrup get larger, start testing for the soft ball stage. To so this, use a spoon to put a small amount of the hot syrup into some ice water, then pinch the syrup between your thumb and forefinger.