---
title: "Soft-ball stage: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "The soft-ball stage is sugar syrup cooked to 112 to 116°C (234 to 240°F). A drop in cold water forms a soft ball that flattens. It is used for fudge."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soft-ball-stage"
---

# Soft-ball stage

The soft-ball stage is sugar syrup cooked to 112 to 116°C (234 to 240°F). A drop in cold water forms a soft ball that flattens. It is used for fudge.

Also called Soft ball.

The soft-ball stage is a point in cooking sugar syrup, reached at 112 to 116°C (234 to 240°F) at sea level. A drop of syrup in cold water forms a soft, sticky ball that you can squash between your fingers. Out of the water, it slowly flattens. Fudge, fondant, pralines, maple candy and the hot syrup for Italian [meringue](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/meringue) and buttercream are cooked to this stage. It comes after the [thread stage](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/thread-stage) and before the [firm-ball stage](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/firm-ball-stage).

## How to do it

1. Use a heavy, clean saucepan. Combine the sugar with water, milk or cream as the recipe says.
2. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
3. Brush down the sides with a wet pastry brush to remove stray crystals.
4. Clip on a candy [thermometer](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/thermometer) with the tip in the syrup but not touching the bottom.
5. Boil without stirring, unless the recipe has milk or cream, which need gentle stirring so they do not scorch.
6. Take it off the heat as soon as it reaches 112 to 116°C (234 to 240°F).
7. For fudge, let it cool without stirring to about 43 to 50°C (110 to 120°F) before you beat it.

## How to tell it is done

Drop a little syrup into very cold water. Gather it with your fingers. At soft ball it forms a soft ball that loses its shape and flattens within a few seconds on your fingertip. If it dissolves in the water, keep cooking. If it holds a firm shape, it has gone to firm ball.

## Why it works

As water boils away, the sugar concentration and boiling point rise together. At soft ball, the syrup is roughly 85 percent sugar. In fudge, cooling it before beating lets many tiny sugar crystals form at once, which gives a smooth, creamy texture instead of a gritty one.

## Common mistakes

* Beating fudge while hot. It forms large crystals and turns grainy.
* Stirring a plain sugar syrup after it boils. It can crystallize.
* Skipping the thermometer check. Test it in boiling water and adjust for any difference. At altitude, water boils lower, so lower the target by the same amount.
* Pulling it too early. Fudge stays soft and never sets.

## In recipes

"Cook to the soft-ball stage" and "cook to 115°C (238°F)" both point here. Recipes for Italian meringue often give 118°C (245°F), at the top of this range or just into firm ball.

## Related terms

* [Thread stageThe thread stage is sugar syrup cooked to 106 to 112°C (223 to 234°F). It falls from a spoon in a thin thread. Use it for glazes, candied fruit and syrups.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/thread-stage)
* [Firm-ball stageThe firm-ball stage is sugar syrup cooked to 118 to 120°C (245 to 250°F). A drop in cold water forms a firm ball. It is used for soft caramels.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/firm-ball-stage)
* [MeringueMeringue is egg whites whipped with sugar into a glossy foam, baked crisp or used soft on pies. Here are the French, Swiss and Italian methods and fixes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/meringue)
* [ThermometerA kitchen thermometer checks the heat of meat, oil, sugar and your oven, so food is safe and cooked how you want. Here is which type to use and how.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/thermometer)
* [Hard-ball stageThe hard-ball stage is sugar syrup cooked to 121 to 130°C (250 to 266°F). A drop in cold water forms a hard, sticky ball. It is used for nougat.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/hard-ball-stage)

[More in doneness and temperature](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/doneness-and-temperature)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)