Soft ball stage | candy making (2024)

In fudge

…termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers. Butter and vanilla are added as the candy cools,…

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The modern-day sciences cover a vast range of fields, including biology, chemistry, meteorology, astronomy, physics, and much more.","image":{"id":0,"url":"/86/193986-050-7B2DBB6A/ball-and-stick-model-structure-atoms.jpg","altText":"Science","credit":null,"width":null,"height":null,"fullUrl":"https://cdn.britannica.com/86/193986-050-7B2DBB6A/ball-and-stick-model-structure-atoms.jpg"}},null,null],"mainCategory":{"id":1000,"title":"Science","url":"Science","description":"How can the sky be blue one day and stormy the next? Why do heavy objects tend to fall downwards when dropped? How are birds able to fly (and why can’t I do the same?)? Human beings have long been curious about the world in which we live, striving to identify connections among the phenomenons we witness and to understand how it all works. The field of science has developed over many centuries as a way of studying and understanding the world, beginning with the primitive stage of simply noting important regularities in nature and continuing through the rise of modern science. The modern-day sciences cover a vast range of fields, including biology, chemistry, meteorology, astronomy, physics, and much more.","image":{"id":0,"url":"/86/193986-050-7B2DBB6A/ball-and-stick-model-structure-atoms.jpg","altText":"Science","credit":null,"width":null,"height":null,"fullUrl":"https://cdn.britannica.com/86/193986-050-7B2DBB6A/ball-and-stick-model-structure-atoms.jpg"}},"typeDisplayName":"Companion"}]},"byline":null,"citationInfo":null,"websites":null,"freeTopicReason":"TOPIC_IS_INDEX_PAGE","articleSchemaMarkup":{"keywords":"soft ball stage","wordcount":0,"url":"https://www.britannica.com/topic/soft-ball-stage","description":"Other articles where soft ball stage is discussed: fudge: …termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers. Butter and vanilla are added as the candy cools,…","publisher":{"name":"Encyclopedia Britannica","@type":"Organization","logo":{"url":"https://corporate.britannica.com/wp-content/themes/eb-corporate/_img/logo.png","@type":"ImageObject"}},"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"article"},"studentArticle":false,"initialLoad":true}

soft ball stage

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candy making

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making of fudge

  • Soft ball stage | candy making (8)

    In fudge

    …termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers. Butter and vanilla are added as the candy cools,…

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Soft ball stage | candy making (2024)

FAQs

Soft ball stage | candy making? ›

about 18 min to reach boiling. about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage. 60 minutes to cool. 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)

How long does it take to soft ball stage? ›

about 18 min to reach boiling. about 40 minutes to reach soft ball stage. 60 minutes to cool. 28 minutes to beat in a KitchenAid (your time for this may vary)

How do you determine soft ball stage? ›

Using a clean spoon, carefully take a little of the syrup and drop it into the bowl of cold water. Leave to cool for a moment then pick up the ball of syrup. If it's pliable, sticky and can be moulded in your fingers easily, it has reached the soft ball stage and the syrup can be used to make fudge and marzipan.

What does the soft ball stage look like? ›

Soft Ball

To test your candy temperature, you'll want a bowl of cool water to drip the sugar into. You'll know you've reached the soft ball stage when the sugar forms a small ball in the water. The ball will quickly flatten after a few moments of handling as it warms in your hand.

Why is my fudge not reaching the soft ball stage? ›

The fudge needs to be cooked at a vigorous boil and needs to get to a minimum of 116C/240F, so you may need to increase the heat slightly. This is the soft ball stage and if you drop a little of the mixture into a glass of cold water then it should form a firm ball that you can still squeeze between your fingers.

At what temperature should you beat fudge? ›

Experience has shown that you should beat the mixture when its temperature ranges from 43°C to 45°C (110°F to 113°F), which normally occurs 15 minutes after the pan is removed from heat. The fudge is warm, but not burning hot.

Is 240 degrees soft ball stage? ›

235° F–240° F

Fudge , pralines, and fondant are made by cooking ingredients to the soft-ball stage.

How to tell if fudge is ready? ›

Points to remember

You know it's ready when a small amount of the mixture dropped into a glass of cold water sets into a soft ball that you can lift out with a teaspoon and pinch between your fingers. Turn off the heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes or until the mix starts to thicken a little.

How long does it take to get to the hard crack stage for candy making? ›

Continue boiling, uncovered, not stirring the mixture but shaking the saucepan occasionally to distribute the heat as the mixture turns amber in about 9 minutes, then darker amber as it registers 305 degrees on the thermometer (hard-crack stage ), about 3 minutes longer.

How to tell when sugar is melted? ›

Pour it into the pan (Step 1) and stir constantly with a long-handled spoon. The sugar will become lumpy (Step 2) as it begins to melt. After a few minutes the sugar liquefies, turning the color of straw. If you continue to heat it, the sugar will turn deep brown, then will become black and burn.

Why is it called soft ball? ›

The name "softball" was given to the game in 1926 because the ball used to be soft; however, in modern-day usage, the balls are hard. A tournament held in 1933 at the Chicago World's Fair spurred interest in the game.

How do you test for soft ball stage fudge? ›

You can also test for soft ball stage by using a glass of cold water. When the fudge has boiled for about 10 minutes start to test by dropping a little of the mixture into a glass of cold water. If the mixture forms a thread as it sinks into the water then it needs cooking for a little longer.

How to adjust candy making for altitude? ›

Rule of Thumb: For each 1,000 feet above sea level, reduce the temperatures in the recipe by 2°F. This adjustment allows the candy maker to control the degree of evaporation necessary to achieve the proper sugar concentration for the desired end product.

Can I use a meat thermometer for candy? ›

To make candy or jelly at home, it's essential to have a thermometer that can process particularly high temperatures. Though a meat thermometer might seem like a convenient substitute, it doesn't have the ability to read and process temperature to the same extent that a candy thermometer does.

How long does it take candy to reach 300 degrees? ›

Just put your candy thermometer in the pan and watch for it to rise to 300 degrees. It takes about 10 minutes from the time it starts to really boil. After it's reached 300 degrees, remove it from the heat and add whatever flavor you want, stirring constantly then add food coloring.

How long does it take to reach the hard crack stage? ›

Continue boiling, uncovered, not stirring the mixture but shaking the saucepan occasionally to distribute the heat as the mixture turns amber in about 9 minutes, then darker amber as it registers 305 degrees on the thermometer (hard-crack stage ), about 3 minutes longer.

What degree is the soft ball stage? ›

If the candy forms a soft pliable ball, it is in the softball stage, about 235°— 240°F. This is the stage you would cook to if you are making fudge. If the candy forms a firm but not hard ball, it is in the firm ball stage. The temperature of this stage is between 242—248°F.

What does "cook to soft ball stage" mean? ›

termed in kitchen parlance the soft ball stage, that point between 234 and 240 °F (112 and 115 °C) at which a small ball of the candy dropped in ice water neither disintegrates nor flattens when picked up with the fingers. Butter and vanilla are added as the candy cools,…

How to test fudge for soft ball stage? ›

You can also test for soft ball stage by using a glass of cold water. When the fudge has boiled for about 10 minutes start to test by dropping a little of the mixture into a glass of cold water. If the mixture forms a thread as it sinks into the water then it needs cooking for a little longer.

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