candy temperature stages
Category: Measurement
Definition: Sugar goes through several distinct stages as it is heated up in the candy-making process. Candy makers drip small amounts of the molten sugar into cold water and observe the results to see how far along the candy is. Depending on the kind of candy being made, the sugar will be heated to different stages. From earliest to latest, the stages are: thread (forms thin threads in water); soft ball (the molten sugar becomes a soft ball that collapses out of water); firm ball (firmer ball that is still pressable); hard ball (sticky, remains in a ball shape when pressed); soft crack (removed from cold water, the candy forms pliable threads); hard crack (forms brittle threads that break when pressed); caramel (the sugar syrup turns light yellow to dark brown). Past the dark-caramel stage (or 350 degrees F), the sugar syrup begins to turn bitter. Of course, a much more precise and less complicated to test candy temperatures is to use a candy thermometer

Celsius, Fahrenheit
Category: Measurement
Definition: The two most commonly used temperature scales in cooking. In the Celsius (or centigrade) system, water freezes at 0 degrees and a boils at 100 degrees. In the Fahrenheit system, water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees

dash, pinch
Category: Measurement
Definition: Though generally taken as inexact measures of very small amounts of an ingredient, a recipe calling for a dash of something requires 1/8th of a teaspoon of it. A pinch is half a dash, or 1/16th of a teaspoon

smoke point
Category: Measurement
Definition: The temperature at which oils and fats break down and begin to give off a telltale smoke and lend foods cooked in it an unpleasant flavor. Various oils and fats have different smoke points