A Candy thermometer is a kitchen tool used to measure temperature up to 400°F in the process of cooking any sugar solution. This sugar solution is mainly used to make hard and soft candy, such as brittle, praline, toffee, fudge and many more. So, if you want to cook candy of your choice, you need the best candy thermometer.
There are various kinds of candy thermometer regardinterms ofg function and price. They all measure the temperature of the sugar solution. All thermometers are not user-friendly. For instance, some of them are large, and some are easy to use. Even, some come with an inscribed notation of preparatory steps for making candy while other thermometers have a digital system that displays the temperature. For a beginner or expert cook, having the best candy thermometer can make your process of cooking candy a lot simpler and more precise.
Best Type of Candy Thermometer
The accuracy of this thermometer can solve the main problem with cooking candy. To use this, you can clip your thermometer to the side of your cooking pan, but make sure bulb is not touching the bottom of your pan. After that, you have to bring the temperature to the full boil mode. You cannot put the thermometer into full steaming phase since the extreme heat can cause it to break. If you never use a candy thermometer before, here, you can read the instruction more precisely.
Types of Candy Thermometers
A few types of candy thermometers are available, such as,
- Old fashioned fluid candy thermometer
- Dial candy thermometer
- Digital candy thermometer
Nowadays, people are using the digital thermometer because it measures temperature more rapidly and correctly. Some of them even give you signal with an alarm when the heat hits the specified temperature.
Fluid/Liquid Candy Thermometer
This kind of thermometer has around 12 inches long body with a plastic grip. The heat range of a liquid thermometer is 100° to 400°F. This includes a hook for hanging on the side of the pan. Some other features of a liquid candy thermometer:
- Use mercury or spirit to measure temperature.
- Cheap price.
- This is very slow, takes a long time to read the temperature.
Dial Candy Thermometer
Dial thermometers heat range is also 100° to 400°F. It has a built-in clip for hanging on the side of the pan. It has an amendable indicator which is very user-friendly. This thermometer will help you to maintain the heat result very consistently. It is specially designed to cook candy and deep-fried items. Usually, it comes with 2 inches dial which is easy to read.
Digital Candy Thermometer
This is the best thermometer for candy and high heat cooking. It can give you a warning before, during and after your cooking is finished. The heat range is -40° to 450°F / -40 to 230 C. One of the best digital candy thermometers is ANPRODT-10, instant read digital cooking thermometer. Some other features of digital candy thermometers,
- Easy to read display
- Electronic
- It has a high-speed reading capability
Calibration of Thermometers
You need to caliber both analog and digital thermometers to keep the accuracy level, but analog and old-fashioned thermometers need to be calibrated more frequently than a digital one.
The most common method is, you have to put the thermometer in the cold or hot water and then manually adjust all the option is available on your thermometer. If not, the only option is buying a new one, because you want your readings to be accurate.
The typical process is to keep the thermometer in the cold or the heat and then manually fixe all of the existing options. If it is not a digital one you will have to use the heat or boil water to adjust the options. Most of the candy thermometer doesn’t have a measurement option for freezing. This is very important to remember that does not put the thermometer into the hot water because it can break.
Most Recommended and the Best Candy Thermometer to Buy
You might have tested a candy thermometer target. But, you might want to get something more. If you want a cheap one, go for the analog one, but if you want something more accurate, a digital gadget is right for you. There’re some recommended candy thermometers in the market:
- Anpro DT-10. Steel body and LCD are the most attractive features.
- Polder THM-515. This is an analog unit with 15 inches long body. This thermometer is not suitable for a small pan, but it also has a steel body.
- Habor CP019. This digital meter is very easy to use. All you need to do is insert the meter into the pan.
- Farberware Protek. This is a glass tube thermometer. Very cheap, but hard to read the measurement.
You have to know the exact temperature of the sugar. This is the key to a perfect cooking method. So, the best candy thermometer has to be designed to display accurate temperature readings while helping you to cook candy. Remember if your budget is tight, you should look for an alternative to the high-end digital models. Although most people prefer using digital gadgets, some appreciate the comfort, design, and essential functions of analog meters.
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