The best quality candy thermometer is the OXO Good Grips Glass Candy Thermometer.
I started making caramel for an Almond Roca recipe years ago. But, it never quite came out how I wanted it to. It was delicious, but it was just too soft. The consistency wasn’t quite right.
This year, I decided I was going to try out using my new candy thermometer for my caramel sauce to make my almond roca recipe. Maybe they would actually turn out!
I asked my husband to purchase the best candy thermometer for caramel for me.
He got me the OXO Good Grips Glass Candy Thermometer.
When I went to use it, I realized that the bulb didn’t go all the way to the bottom of the pot. But of course, you don’t actually want the bulb to be touching the bottom of the pan. This can cause the bulb to shatter.
So the OXO thermometer he got me, sits a few centimeters above the pot using the adjustable clip.
When I was making my caramel sauce the bulb was above the level of liquid in the sauce pan so I wasn’t sure how it was going to work.
I started mixing my ingredients, and then I realized that I could just stir the pot and push the caramel sauce over the bulb so I could get an accurate measurement of the temperature.
Therefore, even though it’s large, it’s the best candy thermometer for small batches.
When I was done making my caramel sauce I watched the Mercury come to an even 300 degrees Farenheight and I poured the caramel sauce into the baking pan. I added the chopped up almonds to it, and then I spread the melted chocolate over the caramel and sprinkled the rest of the chopped almonds to the topping and let it cool.
Finally, I had made the most incredible Almond Roca. I had no idea that I really needed a candy thermometer to make the Almond Roca that I’ve been dreaming about for years. I always purchased my almond roca at local Christmas markets because it’s my absolute favourite!! Now, I can officially make as much as I want to at home!
I’m an avid baker, and I have tried making macarons, but they never turned out the way I had seen them in pastry shops.
When I took a class making macarons in Vancouver they showed me that when making the sugar sauce for the Italian meringue, it needs to be an even 115 degree Celsius.
I decided to try out the candy thermometer again. I always had issues making macarons in the past, but I was using the French style recipe. By using the Italian style recipe, the meringue is much more stable so it’s easier to get them to turn out how you like.
I started making the sugar sauce and I watched the Mercury climb up to an even 115 degrees Celsius. I poured the sugar sauce down the side of the metal mixing bowl with my egg whites. I folded the meringue into the almond mixture and finished off making my macarons, patiently waiting to see how they would turn out. I wondered if this was really going to make the difference between them actually turning out. I put them in the oven and baked them for 12 minutes.
I pulled them out of the oven when they were finished, and there it was, my first batch of perfect macarons. I was so proud. I was so grateful to have my new candy thermometer.
This candy thermometer has been so easy to use, it handles high temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
It has stages on the thermometer of hard-crack, giving you an idea of how hard you want your candy to be.
I prefer this candy thermometer over a digital one because there is no battery to change, no risk of the display becoming black at high temperatures, and I find it just as easy to read the temperature.
When we were reading up about candy thermometers I thought for sure a digital thermometer would be the easiest.
I started reading up on the CDN digital candy thermometer
You can easily program it to an exact degree. It will alarm at specific points during the key temperature stages when making candy.
It’s approximately 8 1/4″ tall, much smaller than the OXO Candy Thermometer.
However, most people who have used this thermometer find that it doesn’t last very long. Some people have said that it only lasted them 3-30 uses, and then it just stops working. The screen will go black when it’s used at high temperatures. The clip for the gauge can break off and then you have to hold the thermometer by hand to take the temperature of your candy.
It doesn’t seem like digital thermometers have come very far in terms of longevity, or durability.
The tried and true older style thermometers are a better bet for your candy making needs long term. They are easy to clean, simple to use, and give accurate readings.
The OXO Good Grips Glass Candy Thermometer is the best quality candy thermometer for your baking needs.
