I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done it
before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar. Are
they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?

It also says:

"In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook
over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil,
and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has
reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."

Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will eyeballing
the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.

On 10/15/2013 2:04 PM, wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:33:22 -0400, wrote:
>
>> I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done it
>> before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar. Are
>> they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
>
> Definitely granulated
>>
>> It also says:
>>
>> "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook
>> over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil,
>> and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has
>> reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
>>
>> Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will eyeballing
>> the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
>
> I will make fudge without using the candy thermometer but for toffee,
> saves yourself a lot of trouble and overcooking, it doesn't taste good
> either if you overcook it. Candy thermometers are not expensive and
> well worth it for some things like toffee. Make it a few times with
> the thermometer, then you might feel empowered to try without
>

The great fun in caramelizing sugar is that the timing is so critical.
Just a few seconds too long and you get awful burnt sugar. I wouldn't
use a thermometer and would rely on my eyes instead. My guess is that if
you cook this to a dark amber color, the toffee would be ruined, in
which case, the OP should use a thermometer.

On 10/15/2013 7:33 PM, wrote:
> I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done it
> before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar. Are
> they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?

Always granulated unless specified otherwise


>
> Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will eyeballing
> the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
>

If you have experience, eyeballing is OK, but your interpretation of
dark amber may be much different than others. Get the thermometer.

Get a reasonably good quality candy thermometer. It's required, especially for a novice candy maker.

My toffee recipe says to cook to soft crack stage which off hand I don't know what that is without checking the
recipe, but my thermometer is marked "soft crack," hard crack," etc.

N.

On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:15:56 -1000, dsi1
> wrote:

> On 10/15/2013 2:04 PM, wrote:
> > On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:33:22 -0400, wrote:
> >
> >> I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done it
> >> before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar. Are
> >> they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
> >
> > Definitely granulated
> >>
> >> It also says:
> >>
> >> "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook
> >> over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil,
> >> and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has
> >> reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
> >>
> >> Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will eyeballing
> >> the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
> >
> > I will make fudge without using the candy thermometer but for toffee,
> > saves yourself a lot of trouble and overcooking, it doesn't taste good
> > either if you overcook it. Candy thermometers are not expensive and
> > well worth it for some things like toffee. Make it a few times with
> > the thermometer, then you might feel empowered to try without
> >
>
> The great fun in caramelizing sugar is that the timing is so critical.
> Just a few seconds too long and you get awful burnt sugar. I wouldn't
> use a thermometer and would rely on my eyes instead. My guess is that if
> you cook this to a dark amber color, the toffee would be ruined, in
> which case, the OP should use a thermometer.

I agree with you. It's hard enough to caramelize sugar to use for
flan... and IMO - you need a thermometer to make real candy. You can
do it via the cold plate method, but it's so much easier to use a
thermometer!

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:33:22 -0400, wrote:

>I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done it
>before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar. Are
>they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
>
>It also says:
>
>"In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook
>over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil,
>and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has
>reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
>
>Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will eyeballing
>the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.


Thanks for the replies. I'll get a candy thermometer. They're only about ten
bucks. And no corn syrup in the recipe.

On 10/15/2013 10:25 PM, Nancy2 wrote:
> Get a reasonably good quality candy thermometer. It's required, especially for a novice candy maker.
>
> My toffee recipe says to cook to soft crack stage which off hand I don't know what that is without checking the
> recipe, but my thermometer is marked "soft crack," hard crack," etc.
>
> N.
>
Crack stages are typically gauged by drizzling a little of the cooked
sugar mixture into cold water. You know you've hit hard crack if it
separates into threads you can "crack". The cold water test also works
for things like fudge for the gauging soft or hard ball stage - does it
flatten slightly or hold it's shape? I'm not astute enough to gauge
things that way. Grandma knew all about it.

I am not my grandmother. For a long time I made batches of candy
every year. Peanut brittle, almond toffee, fudge. I invested in a
candy thermometer.

Jill

On 10/16/2013 12:48 AM, wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:33:22 -0400, wrote:
>
>> I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done it
>> before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar. Are
>> they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
>>
>> It also says:
>>
>> "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook
>> over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil,
>> and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has
>> reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
>>
>> Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will eyeballing
>> the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
>
>
> Thanks for the replies. I'll get a candy thermometer. They're only about ten
> bucks. And no corn syrup in the recipe.
>
Good call on the candy thermometer. Just curious, is this recipe for
hard or chewy toffee?

Jill

> wrote in message
...
>I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done
>it
> before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar.
> Are
> they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?

Granulated. Confections is really granulated that has been whizzed in a
blender but usually has cornstarch added to keep it from clumping. You can
make your own confectioners from granulated but you can't sub confectioners
for granulated. The texture just isn't the same.
>
> It also says:
>
> "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt.
> Cook
> over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a
> boil,
> and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature
> has
> reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
>
> Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will
> eyeballing
> the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.

You can't eyeball this. You could use a cold water test but off the top of
my head I am not sure what stage that would be. Lemme see. That would be
soft crack. You'll have to forgive me. I used to make a lot of candy but
haven't in years. I find that for me the water test works best. I always
do use a thermometer but they aren't always accurate and sometimes I have
overcooked the candy. I learned to do the cold water test as a backup. And
as a child that is all I had. We had no thermometer in the house. Remember
to remove your pain from the heat no matter which test you use because the
candy will continue to cook if you don't.

In article >,
jmcquown > wrote:

> On 10/15/2013 10:25 PM, Nancy2 wrote:
> > Get a reasonably good quality candy thermometer. It's required, especially
> > for a novice candy maker.
> >
> > My toffee recipe says to cook to soft crack stage which off hand I don't
> > know what that is without checking the
> > recipe, but my thermometer is marked "soft crack," hard crack," etc.
> >
> > N.
> >
> Crack stages are typically gauged by drizzling a little of the cooked
> sugar mixture into cold water. You know you've hit hard crack if it
> separates into threads you can "crack". The cold water test also works
> for things like fudge for the gauging soft or hard ball stage - does it
> flatten slightly or hold it's shape? I'm not astute enough to gauge
> things that way. Grandma knew all about it.
>
> I am not my grandmother. For a long time I made batches of candy
> every year. Peanut brittle, almond toffee, fudge. I invested in a
> candy thermometer.
>
> Jill

I am my grandfather, but unfortunately it was my grandmother who did the
cooking. Rather than spend the money, cheap as they may be, on a candy
thermometer that will spend its life in a drawer until something falls
on it and breaks it, I just used my digital probe thermometer, the same
one I use for roasts and everything else, the two or three times I've
ever made candy. It seemed to work just fine.

--
Mark

In article >, lid
says...

> The great fun in caramelizing sugar is that the timing is so critical.
> Just a few seconds too long and you get awful burnt sugar. I wouldn't
> use a thermometer and would rely on my eyes instead.

Ditto to all that.
When caramelising sugar you need to stay in the kitchen watching the
pan; do not wander off to the bathroom or to answer the front door.

And, be careful to use a big enough pan and avoid skin splashes from
that boiling syrup; it's far hotter than boiling water.

Janet

In article >, says...
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
> >I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done
> >it
> > before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar.
> > Are
> > they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
>
> Granulated. Confections is really granulated that has been whizzed in a
> blender but usually has cornstarch added to keep it from clumping. You can
> make your own confectioners from granulated but you can't sub confectioners
> for granulated. The texture just isn't the same.
> >
> > It also says:
> >
> > "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt.
> > Cook
> > over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a
> > boil,
> > and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature
> > has
> > reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
> >
> > Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will
> > eyeballing
> > the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
>
> You can't eyeball this.

Of course you can, I always have and even the very first time, it's
not that hard. Cooks were making successful caramel and toffee centuries
before they had cooking thermometers.

Janet UK

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> On 10/15/2013 10:25 PM, Nancy2 wrote:
>> Get a reasonably good quality candy thermometer. It's required,
>> especially for a novice candy maker.
>>
>> My toffee recipe says to cook to soft crack stage which off hand I don't
>> know what that is without checking the
>> recipe, but my thermometer is marked "soft crack," hard crack," etc.
>>
>> N.
>>
> Crack stages are typically gauged by drizzling a little of the cooked
> sugar mixture into cold water. You know you've hit hard crack if it
> separates into threads you can "crack". The cold water test also works
> for things like fudge for the gauging soft or hard ball stage - does it
> flatten slightly or hold it's shape? I'm not astute enough to gauge
> things that way. Grandma knew all about it.
>
> I am not my grandmother. For a long time I made batches of candy every
> year. Peanut brittle, almond toffee, fudge. I invested in a candy
> thermometer.

I've not made any for many years, but I agree with all that!


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

"Janet" > wrote in message
t...
> In article >, says...
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never
>> >done
>> >it
>> > before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white
>> > sugar.
>> > Are
>> > they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
>>
>> Granulated. Confections is really granulated that has been whizzed in a
>> blender but usually has cornstarch added to keep it from clumping. You
>> can
>> make your own confectioners from granulated but you can't sub
>> confectioners
>> for granulated. The texture just isn't the same.
>> >
>> > It also says:
>> >
>> > "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and
>> > salt.
>> > Cook
>> > over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to
>> > a
>> > boil,
>> > and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the
>> > temperature
>> > has
>> > reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
>> >
>> > Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will
>> > eyeballing
>> > the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
>>
>> You can't eyeball this.
>
> Of course you can, I always have and even the very first time, it's
> not that hard. Cooks were making successful caramel and toffee centuries
> before they had cooking thermometers.

But they most likely used the cold water test. I've made toffee using that
and it was fine. I would never just judge it by color alone.

On Wed, 16 Oct 2013 00:52:04 -0400, jmcquown > wrote:

>On 10/16/2013 12:48 AM, wrote:
>> On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:33:22 -0400, wrote:
>>
>>> I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done it
>>> before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar. Are
>>> they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
>>>
>>> It also says:
>>>
>>> "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook
>>> over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil,
>>> and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has
>>> reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
>>>
>>> Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will eyeballing
>>> the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for the replies. I'll get a candy thermometer. They're only about ten
>> bucks. And no corn syrup in the recipe.
>>
>Good call on the candy thermometer. Just curious, is this recipe for
>hard or chewy toffee?
>
>Jill

Doesn't specifially say.

On Tuesday, October 15, 2013 5:26:00 PM UTC-10, sf wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:15:56 -1000, dsi1
>
> > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On 10/15/2013 2:04 PM, wrote:
>
> > > On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:33:22 -0400, wrote:
>
> > >
>
> > >> I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done it
>
> > >> before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar. Are
>
> > >> they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
>
> > >
>
> > > Definitely granulated
>
> > >>
>
> > >> It also says:
>
> > >>
>
> > >> "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook
>
> > >> over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil,
>
> > >> and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has
>
> > >> reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
>
> > >>
>
> > >> Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will eyeballing
>
> > >> the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
>
> > >
>
> > > I will make fudge without using the candy thermometer but for toffee,
>
> > > saves yourself a lot of trouble and overcooking, it doesn't taste good
>
> > > either if you overcook it. Candy thermometers are not expensive and
>
> > > well worth it for some things like toffee. Make it a few times with
>
> > > the thermometer, then you might feel empowered to try without
>
> > >
>
> >
>
> > The great fun in caramelizing sugar is that the timing is so critical.
>
> > Just a few seconds too long and you get awful burnt sugar. I wouldn't
>
> > use a thermometer and would rely on my eyes instead. My guess is that if
>
> > you cook this to a dark amber color, the toffee would be ruined, in
>
> > which case, the OP should use a thermometer.
>
>
>
> I agree with you. It's hard enough to caramelize sugar to use for
>
> flan... and IMO - you need a thermometer to make real candy. You can
>
> do it via the cold plate method, but it's so much easier to use a
>
> thermometer!
>
>

I agree that you should use a thermometer for most candies. For something like a caramel sauce, the color is so important that I'd ignore the temperature if the color wasn't right anyway so why use a thermometer? OTOH, if you don't know exactly what color the caramelized sugar should be, you should use a thermometer. I believe that the dark amber color cited by the OP is a recipe for disaster or at least, disappointment.

>
> --
>
> Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On Thu, 17 Oct 2013 02:51:22 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
wrote:

> On Tuesday, October 15, 2013 5:26:00 PM UTC-10, sf wrote:
> > On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:15:56 -1000, dsi1
> >
> > > wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > I agree with you. It's hard enough to caramelize sugar to use for
> >
> > flan... and IMO - you need a thermometer to make real candy. You can
> >
> > do it via the cold plate method, but it's so much easier to use a
> >
> > thermometer!
> >
> >
>
> I agree that you should use a thermometer for most candies. For something like a caramel sauce, the color is so important that I'd ignore the temperature if the color wasn't right anyway so why use a thermometer? OTOH, if you don't know exactly what color the caramelized sugar should be, you should use a thermometer. I believe that the dark amber color cited by the OP is a recipe for disaster or at least, disappointment.
>
PS: Don't caramelize sugar in a cast iron pan because you need to be
able to see what color it's turning. Don't ask me how I know this.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

On 10/17/2013 6:22 AM, sf wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Oct 2013 02:51:22 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 >
> wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday, October 15, 2013 5:26:00 PM UTC-10, sf wrote:
>>> On Tue, 15 Oct 2013 14:15:56 -1000, dsi1
>>>
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I agree with you. It's hard enough to caramelize sugar to use for
>>>
>>> flan... and IMO - you need a thermometer to make real candy. You can
>>>
>>> do it via the cold plate method, but it's so much easier to use a
>>>
>>> thermometer!
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I agree that you should use a thermometer for most candies. For something like a caramel sauce, the color is so important that I'd ignore the temperature if the color wasn't right anyway so why use a thermometer? OTOH, if you don't know exactly what color the caramelized sugar should be, you should use a thermometer. I believe that the dark amber color cited by the OP is a recipe for disaster or at least, disappointment.
>>
> PS: Don't caramelize sugar in a cast iron pan because you need to be
> able to see what color it's turning. Don't ask me how I know this.
>

This sound like very good advice! :-)

Janet wrote:
> In >, says...
>>
>> > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> I found a recipe for toffee which I'd like to try and make. I've never done
>>> it
>>> before. It's simple enough, but the ingredients says 2 cups white sugar.
>>> Are
>>> they talking granualted sugar or confectioners sugar?
>>
>> Granulated. Confections is really granulated that has been whizzed in a
>> blender but usually has cornstarch added to keep it from clumping. You can
>> make your own confectioners from granulated but you can't sub confectioners
>> for granulated. The texture just isn't the same.
>>>
>>> It also says:
>>>
>>> "In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt.
>>> Cook
>>> over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a
>>> boil,
>>> and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature
>>> has
>>> reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally."
>>>
>>> Should I buy myself a candy thermometer before I attempt this or will
>>> eyeballing
>>> the mix until it reaches the dark amber color be sufficient. Thanks.
>>
>> You can't eyeball this.
>
> Of course you can, I always have and even the very first time, it's
> not that hard. Cooks were making successful caramel and toffee centuries
> before they had cooking thermometers.
>
> Janet UK

Toffee is one thing I never needed a thermometer for. Easy. I just
watched the color. (Past tense because I have not tried a low-carb
version.)

--
Jean B.

Buy a candy thermom. Even if you don't use it much for candy, I use mine so I know when water reaches 190 F., supposedly THE ideal temp for coffee. If nothing else, it might impress ppl who visit and poke thru your drawers.