Why does toffee go cloudy when stirred? (2024)

FAQs

Why does toffee go cloudy when stirred? ›

As the toffee cools and the molten sugar crystals become solid again, they are attracted to the 'seed' forming new lumps of tiny crystals – hence the grainy texture. This can also happen if the toffee is stirred, or agitated, after it has begun to boil or on cooling (as happened with this pink-tinted toffee).

When the water eventually evaporates, you are left with a supersaturated solution which is in an unnatural state and hence unstable. This is why you must not stir the solution - to prevent crystallisation i.e. the fructose and glucose bonding again.

It's important while the toffee cooks to only stir it occasionally. Constant stirring can cause the toffee to crystallize and separate.

Toffee Making Tips + Troubleshooting

Undercooked toffee won't be anything more than a caramel sauce. But overcooked toffee will be just slightly crunchier (almost unrecognizably). So, always err on the side of over-cooking!

When the toffee starts to split, add a few tablespoons of the water and stir. Be careful, it will steam a lot and steam is hot, so watch your hands. It will lower the temperature a bit and help the toffee come back together as you stir.

Made with just sugar and a little water, toffee is easy to make and is an easy introduction to the world of confectionary. This recipe includes a dash of vinegar which will help keep the colour of the toffee clear and bright and banish any cloudiness.

Americanized toffee may include nuts, while a completely traditional British toffee will not. On the other hand, English toffee uses pure cane sugar, brown sugar, or molasses as its sweet base and always involves chocolate.

This toffee is cooked initially to 310°F (154°C), then the salt and baking soda are added, creating carbon dioxide. The foaming and bubbling aerate the candy somewhat, making the texture lighter and the candy easier to bite into.

Test toffee is ready by placing a teaspoon of hot toffee into a glass of cold water, if toffee cracks its ready. Fresh water is needed for every test. When ready, toffee will be golden brown in colour. Allow bubbles to subside.

Why is my toffee chewy instead of crunchy? ›

Low and slow

Simmering the syrup for English toffee to the requisite 300°F temperature can (and should) be a slow process — up to 20 minutes or so. Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture.

Toffee is a candy made by caramelizing sugar with butter. The mixture is heated until it reaches the hard crack stage (at least 300 degrees F), hardened, then broken into pieces.

As the toffee cools and the molten sugar crystals become solid again, they are attracted to the 'seed' forming new lumps of tiny crystals – hence the grainy texture. This can also happen if the toffee is stirred, or agitated, after it has begun to boil or on cooling (as happened with this pink-tinted toffee).

The most common recommendation is constant and even stirring from beginning to end. I say that is unnecessary too! After much trial and error (clumps of grainy caramelize sugar swimming is a pool of melted butter) I have come up with my own method that is foolproof and perfect every time.

Add water slowly and carefully as the water can cause the hot candy mixture to splatter. Adding the hot water lowers the temperature of the toffee mixture; therefore, continue to stir and cook the toffee until it reaches the correct temperature.

Chocolate chips have a non-melting coating to help them keep their shape. But when they melt, the coating can prevent the chocolate from sticking to the toffee. Sometimes the chocolate melts at a temperature that makes it shrink when it hardens, pulling it away from the toffee layer.

The problem is that crystals of sugar were re-introduced into the liquid candy. This will cause your candy to crystallize and become grainy. To prevent this, (stove-top method only) wipe down the inner sides of your pan a few times with a wet pastry brush while your candy is boiling.

Why didn't my toffee turn brown? It will turn brown if the heat is med-high and you cook it for 5-6 minutes. Crank up that heat, don't let it simmer on low. It will start out yellow, then become light brown, then finally the right brown paper brown that you are looking for.

This is the result of sugar sand (also called niter) and every sugarmaker has dealt with it in their syrup-making career. While it's not very appetizing and can sometimes affect taste, sugar sand is not a sign of spoilage or bad syrup.

As an alternative solution, before cooking, add corn syrup or a mild acid like lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar to break up crystallization.