Firm-Ball Stage
© Randal Oulton
Firm-Ball Stage is a cooking term meaning that a sugar syrup being heated has reached 118 – 121 C (245 – 250 F.)
It is a test of how hot a sugar syrup is, and of how much water is left in it. At this point of heating, the sugar concentration in the syrup is 87%.
You test by drizzling a small amount of the sugar syrup from a spoon into a cup of cold water. If the stage has been reached, the syrup will form a firm ball (i.e. a firm clump — don’t expect an exact, round ball shape.)
If you take the ball out of the water, it will hold its shape, but it is very pliable.
The Firm-Ball Stage is called for in recipes for caramels, nougats, taffy, etc.
The stages of cooking sugar syrup are:
1. Thread Stage (106 – 112 C)
2. Soft-Ball Stage (112 – 116 C)
3. Firm-Ball Stage (118 – 121 C)
4. Hard-Ball Stage (121 – 130 C)
5. Soft-Crack Stage (132 – 143 C)
6. Hard-Crack Stage (149 – 154 C)
Cooking Tips
High altitude: For every 300 metres (1,000 feet) that you are above sea level, subtract 1 degree C (2 degrees F) from the temperatures given in your candy recipe.
Firm-Ball Stage by thermometer
© Randal Oulton
