Not coming out of molds good

[MarkReynolds]

So I'm still very new to making the maple sugar leaf candies. But when I pour into the molds to let them set they stick to the mold when I go to pop them out and it seems to me that the candy is to wet still even though I've let it sit for hours at times. Any thoughts advice. When making I heat to 240 let cool to 160-65 and stir then pour.

[mellondome]

Are you stirring long enough?

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Try a couple of degrees hotter

[MarkReynolds]

Guess not thx

[wiam]

As long as color is turning you are stirring long enough. You are not cooking hot enough. I go to 242-243. But it changes day to day.

[n8hutch]

I am guessing that the ideal temp is 28°-29° above boiling point of water for the given day depending on how hard-soft you like your candies?

[MarkReynolds]

I like them to be semi soft to to hard

[SeanD]

Personally, I like mine softer, but they couldn't withstand the heat and humidity of the farmers markets in the summer, so I go to 245 F now. They are more durable, but not too hard to bite. Just a little snap and then it melts in your mouth.

Sean

[Sugarmaker]

We have gone to 247 deg F, to get candies that do not melt as easy. As mentioned I would try a little hotter temp when boiling.
Regards,
Chris

[Mel]

There are some variabilities in temps, we've found, that might come into play depending on your syrup. This season was really odd (and very bad) here, and we also are coming off 3 summers of tree stresses. The syrup this year had a stronger taste, almost like a bit of end of season, even though the syrup wasn't the colour of that. Our first try at cream this year was a fail - it didn't set up. Second try was just barely a success, but it came out of the molds very hard. Cooking temp is critical but can vary a bit even with changing weather - and also seems like how it's cooled plays a part in how hard & quick it sets up (e.g. cooling on snow vs. in water). Lots of trail & error over the years - might pay to go a bit hotter on cooking as mentioned above, then try working back down with later batches if you find it coming out too hard. Soft cream is great to eat, but not so good for shelf life, especially if it ends up in or close to a store window in warmer weather.

Really hoping our trees have a good summer - they need it badly.

[Mikemartin274]

I see how old this is but I clicked on it so someone else might. I've been through these struggles myself and found the best way to get them out of molds intact is to wait overnight.

[MarkReynolds]

I posted this question a few years again and I'd like to say thx for the advice it helped alot. I'm at the point now where I sell the maple sugar candy. Christmas is a hot time of the year and I get the odd bad batch but like when I first started. Sold 30lbs of sugar candy this Christmas :D thanks again!

[Shorty]

I tried making candy a couple of years ago, I bought molds, cooked, cooled and stirred and after a few tries got the batch into the molds before it hardened, but then tasting them they had a rubber taste. How do you get past that?

[wiam]

I tried making candy a couple of years ago, I bought molds, cooked, cooled and stirred and after a few tries got the batch into the molds before it hardened, but then tasting them they had a rubber taste. How do you get past that?

We always boils new molds in water with baking soda before using.

[Shorty]

We always boils new molds in water with baking soda before using.Thanks, I'll try that.