Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1203

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After a little further boiling dip the forefinger in again, stretch the thumb and forefinger as far as possible, and if the thread remains unbroken the sugar has been boiled to the large pearl (222° F.).

Boil a little longer, then take a skimmer, dip it into the syrup, drain it well over the pan, and blow through the holes. If small bubbles appear in the other side of the skimmer, the sugar is boiled to the small blow (230° F.).

After a moment's further boiling repeat the test, and when the bubbles appear in much larger quantities and fly off the skimmer when shaken, like small feathers or down, the sugar is boiled to the large blow (233° F.).

Now dip the forefinger into a basin of cold water, then dip it into the sugar, and again quickly into the water. When the sugar can be rolled between the thumb and forefinger into a small ball it has reached the stage known by that name (237° F.).

Continue the boiling and proceed as before; as soon as the sugar can be formed into a larger and harder ball, it is boiled to the large ball (247° F.).

Boil for a moment longer, then dip in the forefinger, and if the sugar adhering to it breaks with a slight noise, and sticks to the teeth when bitten, it is boiled to the small crack (290° F.).

Boil a little longer, dip the forefinger into cold water, then into the sugar, and again quickly into the water. If the sugar breaks short and brittle, and does not stick to the teeth when bitten, it is boiled to the large crack (312° F.).