Cold-Water Test for Candy

In my last post, I sort of failed at making the popcorn balls. I didn't understand the directions about checking the syrup temperature using cold water, and in the end I believe it was well over-heated. 

Since making the first meal, we actually went out and bought a cooking book. (I swear, it's one of the smartest things I've done all year.) I recommend the Better Homes & Garden New Cook Book. It has a lot of good tips for cooking - such as the cold-water test.

The book has great photos to explain the different ball stages of cooking syrup. However, the best website with the visual is at Taste of Home. 

The downside is that while you are using the cold-water test to figure out the temperature, your syrup is probably starting to over heat. So getting a candy thermometer is probably a wise investment. 

Fun fact: It's best to make candy on a dry day. If the humidity is over 60%, most candies won't turn out very well.