Equipment and Ingredients Required to Work with Sugar

The single most expensive item you need to get started in sugarwork is a professional sugar thermometer; a digital thermometer is best. You can buy a regular home-use candy thermometer for about one-tenth of the price, but these are easily broken and must be checked for accuracy before use; the thermometer must read exactly 212°F/100°C when placed in boiling water at sea level. Also, if using a glass thermometer, make certain it contains alcohol rather than mercury; it is illegal in some states to use mercury-filled thermometers in professional kitchens (see for more information). The first thing required for sugar boiling is, obviously, a heat source. It need not be a stove; a portable electric burner can be used for this purpose and often makes more sense if you set up an area for sugarwork out of the way of other production. The burner must be powerful enough to bring the syrup to a boil quickly and to keep it boiling rapidly at the specified temperature. The other basic equipment you should have is as follows: