Answers from Expert: Canadian Living Test Kitchen Staff

Thank you for your question regarding the Chocolate Almond Toffee. Not only does the altitude affect the temperature at which liquid boils, but the weather does as well - rain, humidity, etc. The higher the altitude, the lower the boiling point of liquids and the sooner evaporation begins. Therefore, the cooked-stage temperature for candies, syrups, and jellies should be decreased by the difference in the boiling water temperature at your altitude and that of sea level. Water boils at 212 F. If your water boils at a lower temperature, reduce the temperature the candy needs to boil to. For example, if your water boils at 208 F and you need to reach 310 F, then reduce the temperature of the candy to 306 F. A couple of other things to consider are the thickness of the bottom of your pan. If the pan does not have a heavy bottom, things will burn more quickly. You may also find that you have a hot spot in your pan as well - it burns in one spot faster than the rest of the pan. You may also want to check your candy thermometer. We find in the Test Kitchen that they can go off temperature very quickly. I hope this is helpful information for you. Heather Howe Test Kitchen Manager Canadian Living Magazine