Types

• Candy thermometers range from plain to fancy and elaborate. Clip-on thermometers are best because they allow you to keep an eye on the temperature of your candy concoctions as they boil. Digital candy thermometers are calibrated to show accurate readings as soon as they are dipped into the boiling sugar. Laser candy thermometers measure the surface temperature of the boiling concoction, so they are unreliable for measuring the correct core temperature.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• Preventing chocolate from scorching is difficult without a special thermometer called a chocolate thermometer. Marked in 1-degree increments, chocolate thermometers run from 40 or 50 degrees up to 130 degrees and are made of glass in a long cylindrical shape. Care should be taken when washing thermometers because of they can accidentally break if washed in water that is too hot.
  
  

Warning

• Place a candy thermometer in a jug of warm water before plunging it into the boiling sugar concoction. After removing it from the boiling sugar, place the thermometer back into the warm water to dissolve the sugar crystals adhering to the glass. Hang your candy thermometer on a nail or a hook in the kitchen when not in use, as storing it in a cold area may cause the glass to break on contact with boiling candy.
  
  

Benefits

• Chocolate paddle-type thermometers are available for purchase for less than $20. The chocolate-specific degree increments are clearly marked on the integrated paddle/thermometer for easy readings while the candy is stirred.
  
  

Features

• Round-faced candy thermometers featuring a polycarbonate lens in a stainless steel housing unit have clear increments for "at-a-glance" readability for the busy candy maker. This type of thermometer is waterproof and shatterproof. The versatile thermometer features a color-coded scale and target range indicator for ease of use.