Sugar Thermometer

Sugar can be boiled to different ‘stages’ which are used in varying ways. Temperature is the guide to the different boiling stages. The temperature at which the syrup boils gives an indication of the sugar concentration, or the ‘stage’ the syrup has reached: soft-ball, hard-ball, soft-crack or hard-crack. Heat the thermometer in hot water before use and replace in hot water after use (rinsing off hot syrup in cold water could break a thermometer). Do not allow the thermometer to touch the base of the pan as this is hotter so the reading will be false.