‘Tis the season already! The holiday candy making season gets into a full sprint as we close in on Thanksgiving.
What You Need To Know
- Candies, like brittle, are best made on cool, dry days
- Cool weather helps avoid unwanted candy crystals from forming
- Proper storage is also critical for the quality and longevity of the candy
We are now in the season of making candies and other holiday treats. The weather can be a big factor when making some holiday favorites.
I tend to cook or bake many things that I remember my mom and grandmother used to make way back in the day. The smells, the taste and the process of making these treats help reconnect us with old, happy family holiday memories.
What weather is best?
The old classic candy divinity is one such candy that needs a good, dry forecast for several days when making. This cloud-looking candy can be a fickle beast to make if there is too much humidity around. The candy needs drier air to set properly.
In the South, you rarely find people making this confection in the middle of summer!
Most candies made with candy syrup require a specific ratio of sugar to moisture. I’ve been making my family’s 200-plus-year-old peanut brittle recipe since the passing of my Grandma Crum over 20 years ago. I’ve learned thatbrittle is better when made on a cool, dryday.
When I’ve made the candy on a warmer,humid day, it tends to be a stickier brittle.This is because the brittle takes longer to cool, and it reaches a point where it is no longer evaporating moisture into the air. It reabsorbsmoisture from the air and forms unwanted crystals.
Cooler temperatures help candy cool quicker, and it creates less of a chance to form unwanted and ill-structured candy crystals.
So, if you are thinking about venturing into some candy-making this holiday season, pick a cool, dry series of days to make your candies. After making your confections, store them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Candies that are not stored properly can become sticky as they soften. As mentioned earlier, nobody enjoys a lackluster brittle or a divinity that’s mush. Happy candy-making!
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FAQs
As a rule of thumb, only make candy when the weather is cool and dry, as the candy will cool faster and reduce the likelihood of crystal formation. Remember, high-humidity days can occur during the winter as well as summer.
Does weather affect candy making? ›
When I've made the candy on a warmer, humid day, it tends to be a stickier brittle. This is because the brittle takes longer to cool, and it reaches a point where it is no longer evaporating moisture into the air. It reabsorbs moisture from the air and forms unwanted crystals.
What is the best weather to make candy? ›
That's part of why candy making is so prevalent in winter; the best climate for making candy has a relative humidity of less than 35%, and cold air usually has less moisture than hot air.
Why is temperature important in candy making? ›
Higher temperatures with greater sugar concentrations usually result in hand candies, whereas, lower temperatures result in softer candies. Temperature control is critical when it comes to candy making, so having an accurate thermometer can make all the difference.
What are the factors to consider in candy making? ›
Candymaking Tips for Success
- Barometric pressure and humidity greatly affect candymaking: My advice is to never make candy on a humid day! ...
- BE CAREFUL WHEN HANDLING HOT SUGAR SYRUP: It's easy to get burned with a BIG OUCH !! ...
- Use the right tools.
- Use proper cooking techniques. ...
- Quality and cooking time affected:
Check out the weather forecast before making hard candy. Did you know that humidity can affect the outcome of your candy? Sugar attracts water, so rainy and humid days can hamper your attempts at making hard candy. It's best to wait for a clear and dry day.
What temperature makes hard candy? ›
Can you make candy on a cloudy day? ›
It's best to make candy on a cool, dry day. If it's humid or rainy, the candy might end up with a more sugary, grainy texture.
Does weather affect making fudge? ›
Absolutely! Weather greatly affects our fudge. Cold weather and/or low humidity makes the harder outer shell more pronounced and the fudge less moist. Hot and/or humid weather makes the shell less effective and the interior of the fudge more creamy.
Will candy melt in hot weather? ›
While exposure to high temperatures affects all food products to some degree, most candy is relatively stable. Some types of candy can melt, including chocolate, caramels, marshmallows, and gelatin-based gummies.
As a rule of thumb, only make candy when the weather is cool and dry, as the candy will cool faster and reduce the likelihood of crystal formation. Remember, high-humidity days can occur during the winter as well as summer.
How does weather impact the temperature a candy mixture should reach? ›
If the weather is cold, the temperature of the environment may aid in cooling the mixture faster. On the other hand, if it is humid outside, this can slow the evaporation process from the candy mixture and affect the final texture and hardness of the candy.
Does humidity affect caramel making? ›
Too much humidity – An overly humid environment can make caramel sticky and create a less than desirable layer of scum on its surface.
What is the biggest factor in candy making? ›
At the heart of candy-making is sugar. The type, quantity, and crystalline structure of sugar used significantly impact a candy's taste and texture. Candy-making is a temperature-sensitive process. The way sugar is heated and cooled can result in a variety of sweets, from hard candies to gooey caramels.
Why did my hard candy turn soft? ›
Why is my hard candy soft and sticky? The simple answer is that there is too much moisture in your candy. One or more factors could be contributing to this problem. In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture.
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.
Does temperature matter when making rock candy? ›
Given the increased rate of crystallization, larger crystals should be produced. Our prediction is that as temperature increases (60°C, 70°C, 80°C, and 90°C), rock candy mass will also increase.
Does the weather affect making fudge? ›
Just as altitude can create complications when baking, high humidity in the kitchen can lead to significant setbacks when making fudge. Humidity can cause fudge to boil over in the pan or stay soft when set, so try to avoid working on humid days if at all possible.
Why won't my homemade candy harden? ›
If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.
Why can't you make fudge when it's raining? ›
Perhaps you heard your grandmother complain that “you can never make fudge when it's raining.” No mythical urban legend here. High humidity alters the cooking properties of sugar. Fudge can take three times as long to set up, if at all. Sugary meringue absorbs humidity.
