Use white granular sugar, also known as table sugar. A good rule of thumb when melting sugar is that 2 cups of sugar will make enough melted sugar to make 1 cup of caramel.
Use half as much cold water by weight as the amount of sugar you are using. Make sure the pot is completely clean. If sediment is left in the pot, sugar crystals could form around it. A pot is a good option—it has a lot of surface area that will be hitting the sugar.
Use a pastry brush to wash any sugar off the edge of the pan back down in with the rest of the sugar. If crystals form on the edge of the pan, they can seed crystal formation in the entire mixture and the sugar will seize. Brushing the sides of the pot very carefully with warm water can prevent this.
Stirring at this point could cause crystal formation, so don’t stir any more from this point on. The pan may be gently swirled to even the cooking process. The resulting caramel color should be a slight golden brown that forms at the edge of the pan.
If you want the sugar to stay in its liquid form, it is ready when it reaches 340 to 350 °F (171 to 177 °C). At this point the color will be a rich golden brown. Removing a small spoonful of the mixture and placing it on a white plate will show the caramel’s true color.
Thread stage: 223 to 233 °F (106 to 112 °C) A teaspoonful of sugar will form thin threads when dipped into and removed from cold water. It is good for candying fruits and nuts. [8] X Research source Knox, Gerald M, editor. Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. 10th ed. , pp. 92-93, Better Homes and Gardens, 1989. Soft-ball stage:[6] X Research source 235 to 240 °F (113 to 116 °C) A teaspoonful of sugar will ball when dipped in cold water; the ball immediately flattens when removed from the water. It is good for making fudges and fondants. Firm-ball stage:[7] X Research source 245 to 248 °F (118 to 120 °C) A teaspoonful of sugar will ball when dipped in cold water; the ball holds its shape when removed from the water but loses it when it reaches room temperature or pressed. It is good for making caramel candies. Hard-ball stage:[8] X Research source 250 to 266 °F (121 to 130 °C) A teaspoonful of sugar will ball when dipped in cold water; the ball squish slightly when pressed or will be hard and sticky when removed from the water. It is good for making divinity or marshmallows. Soft-crack stage:[9] X Research source 270 to 290 °F (132 to 143 °C) A teaspoonful of sugar will separate into pliable threads when dipped in cold water. Hard-crack stage:[10] X Research source 295 to 310 °F (146 to 154 °C) A teaspoonful of sugar will separate into brittle threads when dipped in cold water. Caramel stage:[11] X Research source 320 to 350 °F (160 to 177 °C) The sugar will brown in the pan and start to have a caramel smell.
