Caramelize sugar without burning
Table sugar begins to caramelize near 160°C (320°F) and reaches deep amber near 175°C (350°F), with nutty, toasty flavors. Past that it turns bitter. Amber to burnt can take as little as 30 seconds.
Stirring can make caramel grainy
Stirring can splash sugar crystals onto the pan wall, and stray crystals can turn the whole pot grainy. Swirl the pan instead and wipe the wall with a wet pastry brush. A spoonful of corn syrup or squeeze of lemon helps too.
Stop the cooking with cream or butter
The pan keeps cooking the sugar after you turn off the burner. Pull it a shade lighter than you want, then stir in warm cream or butter. Use a deep pot, because the caramel bubbles up hard, and warm the cream so the caramel doesn't seize.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
Your sugar has turned deep amber and smells nutty. What happens if you leave it another 30 seconds?
It darkens and turns bitter. Past amber, sugar breaks down into bitter, burnt compounds.
True or false: The darker caramel gets, the less sweet it tastes.
True. As sugar darkens it breaks into bitter, toasty compounds, so dark caramel is less sweet.
What went wrong? You take sugar to 205°C (400°F). The caramel tastes harsh and burnt.
They took it past amber. At that temperature the sugar is burning, so pull it at amber.
Fill the blank: Caramel keeps cooking after you turn off the burner, so pull it when it's a shade ___ than you want.
Caramel keeps cooking after you turn off the burner, so pull it when it's a shade lighter than you want. The hot pan keeps darkening it after the heat is off.
Which pan is best for making caramel?
A heavy, light-colored saucepan. The thick base heats evenly, and the light surface lets you see the color.
Watch sugar turn to caramel
Pale, amber, dark: three flavors from one ingredient.
Do the 20-minute experiment