Firm-ball stage

At firm-ball stage the syrup is about 87 percent sugar, and the Exploratorium puts it at 245 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. A drop in cold water forms a ball that holds its shape but flattens when squeezed.

This is the stage the museum links to caramels. The firmer ball explains their chew: less water is left in the candy than in fudge or fondant, so the finished sweet sets up with some resistance instead of staying soft and creamy.

Cooks check the stage with a candy thermometer or by dropping a little syrup into cold water. The page notes that its temperatures are for sea level and that you should subtract 1 degree Fahrenheit for every 500 feet above sea level, because water boils at a lower temperature at altitude.

It sits between soft ball, used for fudge, pralines and fondant, and hard ball, used for nougat and marshmallows.