Achieving the correct temperature when boiling sugar solutions for candy making is absolutely critical to the end product. The longer a sugar solution is boiled, the harder the candy will be once cooled. Making sure that your sugar solution has reached the proper temperature whether you'll have a soft chewy candy and a hard lollipop.

Often times recipes will reference the stage of hardness for a sugar solution rather than stating an actual temperature.

The cold water test is used to determine the stage of hardness when a candy thermometer is not available. Drop a small amount of the boiled sugar solution into a glass containing ice and water. The shape and pliability of the sugar after being cooled by the ice water will help determine the stage of hardness.

This table is a quick way to determine the relationship between candy making stages of hardness, temperatures, and cold water test results.

Candy Making Temperature Ranges

Stage of Hardness	Temperature °F	Temperature °C	Cold Water Test
Thread	223-234	106-112	Creates a thin thread
Soft Ball	234-240	112-116	Forms a soft lump that will flatten with gravity
Firm Ball	242-248	116-120	Forms a ball that holds its shape but is pliable
Hard Ball	250-265	121-129	Creates a rigid ball
Soft Crack	270-290	132-143	Hardens into a thread that is slightly pliable
Hard Crack	300-310	149-154	Creates brittle threads
Light Caramel	320-338	160-170	Solution turns golden brown but remains transparent
Dark Caramel	350-360	176-182	Solution turns a deep amber brown color