Fudges, toffees, and candies are made in a fraction of the normal time. No more hot steamy kitchens or sticky saucepans to wash. Sweets made in the microwave require less stirring, they don't burn and catch on the saucepan bases and there are no hot pans so it is ideal to let the children use them. Biscuits cook very quickly and because they spread choose a bar-type cookie rather than a " drop " type. Use any of your own favorite recipes or try one in this chapter. If you follow a few basic rules and guidelines you can adapt from normal times and methods to microwave times.
EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING SWEETS
When cooking sweets in the microwave always use the largest bowl that will fit your oven. This will allow the mixture to boil up. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture Remember, sugar mixtures get very hot so don't use plastic dishes and of course, never use saucepans. Never use a candy thermometer in the microwave.
GENERAL RULES FOR SWEET MAKING IN YOUR MICROWAVE OVEN
Always dissolve the sugar in the liquid before allowing the mixture to boil. This takes approximately 5 minutes on HIGH if it is not dissolved after this time reduce Power to MEDIUM and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. If the sugar is not properly dissolved the resulting toffee will crystalize. Stir the mixture occasionally - just open the door. Use a large tall dish to allow the mixture to boil up.
TIMING AND POWER LEVELS
Use Power Select HIGH. Cook in 5-minute batches stirring occasionally. Test the mixture for the required stage and as the mixture nears the correct stage test every 30-60 seconds.
REMEMBER :
Don't begin to boil the mixture until all the sugar has dissolved. Don't forget to stir occasionally. Don't use saucepans in the oven. Don't use candy thermometers in the microwave. Following these basic guidelines, you can have perfect results in cooking all types of sweets and candies.
SUGAR BOILING
This process is the basis of all sweet making, the sugar is first dissolved in the liquid, then brought to a boil. The temperature continues to rise as the water evaporates, and the syrup thickens and darkens as the temperature rises. There are various stages in sugar making - to judge these accurately use a sugar thermometer. Remove the dish from the oven, test the temperature then remove the thermometer before returning the syrup to the oven. For the majority of cooks, the following chart will give an adequate guide to the stages of sweet making.
SOFTBALL STAGE ( 113-118 ° C ) -
when a drop of syrup is put in cold water it forms a soft ball when rolled between the thumb and finger. This is used for fudges and fondants.
FIRM BALL STAGE ( 118-130 ° C ) -
when a drop of syrup is put in cold water it forms a ball that is hard enough to hold its shape but is still pliable. This is used for caramels. SOFT CRACK STAGE ( 132-143 ° C ) - The syrup separates into threads when dropped into water. These are hard but not brittle. This is used for toffees.
HARD CRACK STAGE ( 149-154 ° C ) -
The syrup forms hard brittle threads when dropped into cold water. This is used for hard toffees.
Also Read: Microwave Strawberry Gateau Mille Feuilles Recipe