What is meant by the sugar having boiled to "the large bubble"?

It is one of the old test stages for sugar boiling. You continue boiling and test the sugar as before; when the sugar can be formed into larger and harder bubbles, it has boiled to the large bubble.

How do I test the sugar without a sugar thermometer?

As the 1914 recipe describes: you take a sample of the boiling syrup and try to form bubbles. When the bubbles become larger and harder than in the previous stage (the small bubble), you have reached the large bubble.

Where does this instruction come from?

From Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (Great Cookbook) (1914), page 449, in the section on sugar work and decoration.

What is this sugar stage used for?

It belongs to the series of cooking stages for sugar used further in sugar work and dessert decoration; you keep boiling from this point if the recipe calls for a harder stage.

The Large Bubble

Name: The Large Bubble
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: sugar syrup while boiling (continuation of the previous test)

Erken's explanation of the sugar test "the large bubble": keep boiling and blow through a slotted spoon; when the bubbles grow larger and harder, the stage is reached.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 449 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

One of Schønberg Erken's brief explanations of the classic tests for boiled sugar. Before the thermometer became common in Norwegian homes, one determined the sugar's temperature by such hand tests, here by blowing through the holes in a slotted spoon.

How to make it

1
Keep boiling
Continue boiling the sugar syrup after it has reached the small bubble.
2
Test the sugar
Dip a slotted spoon in the sugar, hold it over the pot, and blow through the holes.
3
Judge the bubbles
As soon as the sugar forms larger and harder bubbles, the sugar has boiled to the large bubble.

Changes from the original

No ingredient list exists in the original; the technique is described in modern language as steps.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From1914 1949 Modernised

To1914 1949 Modernised

1914 (proofread, p. 449) → Modernised~81% of the text changedremovedadded

~~Fortsæt kokningen, forsøk som før; saasnart sukkeret kan dannes~~ sukkerlake under koking (fortsettelse av forrige prøve). Fortsett kokingen av sukkerlaken etter at den har nådd den lille boble.. Dypp en hullsleiv i sukkeret, hold den over gryten og blås gjennom hullene.. Så snart sukkeret danner større og ~~haardere~~ hardere bobler, er sukkeret kokt til den store boble.

Note on Modernised

Ingen ingrediensliste finnes i originalen; teknikken er beskrevet i moderne språk som trinn.

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Frequently asked questions

What is meant by the sugar having boiled to "the large bubble"?: It is one of the old test stages for sugar boiling. You continue boiling and test the sugar as before; when the sugar can be formed into larger and harder bubbles, it has boiled to the large bubble.
How do I test the sugar without a sugar thermometer?: As the 1914 recipe describes: you take a sample of the boiling syrup and try to form bubbles. When the bubbles become larger and harder than in the previous stage (the small bubble), you have reached the large bubble.
Where does this instruction come from?: From Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (Great Cookbook) (1914), page 449, in the section on sugar work and decoration.
What is this sugar stage used for?: It belongs to the series of cooking stages for sugar used further in sugar work and dessert decoration; you keep boiling from this point if the recipe calls for a harder stage.

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