|
 Do
not make caramel, except caramel sauce, on a humid or rainy day. It will be
sticky and probably won't harden, unless your home is air conditioned and
then it doesn't matter! |
It sounds so simple -- to make caramel candy or
sauce, crystalline table sugar and sometimes a liquid (usually water)
are boiled to a high temperature on the stove
sometimes with extra ingredients added such as butter
and/or cream to create different recipes.
The principals of candymaking are the same: under high heat, the sugar's
crystalline structure breaks down and undergoes several chemical processes
called caramelization as it is heated, stirred and cooled where it rearranges
itself to produce different recipes. If problems occur,
see Candy 101, Crystallization.
There are literally hundreds of different caramel recipes,
each producing a different variation on the same theme depending upon how to
what stage the sugar and water are boiled to and extra ingredients used. For
example, soft caramels are a candy made with
caramelized sugar, butter and cream. They can be easily formed into lengths and
cut into desired shapes.
Caramel apples,
gooey candy bars and
caramel popcorn (with chocolate)
or peanuts often come to mind when adults remember first encounters with
caramelized sugar.
When it is cooked to a high heat, boiled sugar
becomes the base for nut brittles or can
be crushed and used a topping for ice cream and other desserts. Many
custard desserts use caramel as a sauce. Caramel
can also be found in numerous desserts as well as a component in entrees and
side dishes.
| When working
with caramel, it can thicken. Simply rewarm in the microwave until liquid
again, this way the color will not change. If you reheat over the
stove, the sugar will change colors. |
Sometimes these sugars are
naturally occurring, such as the case with onions -- when gently sautéed
in butter, onions will turn brown and quite sweet and are called caramelized
onions. Other times, the caramelizing is man-made by combining sugar and water
with cream and butter to create a sinful sauce.
 Q:
What's the difference between caramel and
butterscotch ?
A: Caramel is produced when sugar
has been cooked (caramelized) until it melts and becomes a thick, clear
liquid that can range in color from golden to deep brown (from 320° to 356°F
on a candy thermometer).
The flavor of butterscotch is a blend of
butter and brown sugar. It is popular for cookies, ice-cream toppings,
frostings and candies. (Soft Crack Stage 270 to 288 degrees F) |
Sugar is caramelized with
one of three different methods:
the two classic methods, dry or wet and the third
method being done in a microwave. The dry method is where sugar is heated alone
until it liquefies. The wet method is where the sugar is first dissolved in
water and is then heated. The microwave method uses it as a heat source
and is a quick and fail-safe method. There
are certain advantages of doing one over another, but always follow the recipe.
CARAMEL RECIPES & TERMS ARE VARIED:
Ingredients are added to the basic water and sugar mixture at certain times
during the process depending resulting in different and varied recipes.
Temperatures the mixtures are boiled
to depends upon the what you're making.
Caramels - Sweets, often
square-shaped, made from a mixture of sugar, cooked glucose sugar, and dairy
products..." Larousse Gastronomique, 1988
Their brown, caramel color comes from the
Maillard reaction or the reaction between the heated sugar molecule
(the aldehyde group) and
the protein molecule (an amino group)
in cream (milk). The process is still not fully understood by scientists.
Sugar will start to caramelize to 245 degrees F
(245 degres F–250 degrees F)
or the Firm Ball Stage.
Caramelize -
To heat sugar until it liquefies and
becomes a clear syrup ranging in color from golden to dark brown (from 320
degrees to 356 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Granulated or brown sugar can
also be sprinkled on top of food and placed under a heat source, such as a
broiler, until the sugar melts and caramelizes. A popular custard dessert
finished in this fashion is
Crème Brulee.
Caramelized sugar is also referred to as burnt sugar.
FLAN:
Caramelize sugar to
320 -
356 degrees F. Pour the syrup immediately into individual dishes or a
single flan pan. Tip the dish while pouring so that the lower part of the
sides become coated as well. Work quickly as the caramel hardens fast on the
sides and bottom of the dish.
If the caramelized sugar in the pan
solidifies, remelt it carefully on the heat. As you want the caramelizing to
reliquify once the flan is baked and refrigerated, the coating does not need
to be especially thick. 1/4 cup sugar is enough for four servings. |
Caramel -
A mixture produced when sugar
has been cooked (caramelized) until it melts and becomes a thick, clear liquid
that can range in color from golden to deep brown (from 320 to 356 degrees F as
measured with a candy thermometer). Water can be added to thin the mixture.
Caramel is used to flavor soups, stocks and sauces-sweet and savory. It's also
used in desserts. When it cools and hardens, caramel cracks easily and is the
base for nut brittles. Crushed caramel is used as a topping for ice cream and
other desserts. A soft caramel is a candy made with caramelized sugar, butter
and milk. Caramel
can also be made into
praline
or
nougatine.
CARAMELIZING
SUGAR FOR
CRÈME
BRULE Q: When making crème Brulee, how can
you properly caramelize the sugar under the broiler without it burning?
A: I've done it many times in the oven at 350
degrees, instead of a broiler. Just keep watching it. This way,
you are not burning it under a broiler. Or you can use a mini blowtorch,
available at kitchen ware stores. |
Light and Dark Caramel:
Color is important when making caramel;
recipes are separated into two
types, light or dark because each has it's own attributes.
As caramel is cooked, it
develops an appealing flavor and aroma, getting more intense as it
darkens, and more pliable in texture, resulting in different types of candy. As
the color and flavor become more intense, the texture becomes softer when
cooled. For most recipes, amber is the desired color. It has a rich, sweetly
mellow flavor and hardens to a perfect texture.
Microwaving
Caramel?
The microwave is best used when making small quantities of caramel. Sure
enough, it was fast and mess-free, but it was also far too easy to ruin. A
few seconds can change the taste of the caramel completely, rendering it
burnt and useless.
Try using a clear glass bowl
in a microwave oven and observe the change from golden liquid to amber syrup
to ensure the caramel mixture heats evenly.
However, I stand by the
standard stove-top method for making a regular quantities. The risk of
overcooking outweighs the microwave's convenience. |
The just-melted sugar syrup is called light
caramel. As the sugar syrup continues to cook, it reaches the golden stage,
followed by the slightly darker amber stage and then the dark stage. If the
color becomes excessively dark, the caramel will be bitter and can quickly burn.
If you undercook it, it won't have enough flavor.
| Caramel
and Butterscotch are made in similar
ways to toffee, as is fudge.
The difference is in the degree of boiling temperature
and the ways in which they are cooled. |
Light caramel tastes very different from dark,
and behaves differently for caramel work, such as caramel cages or pulled sugar.
Light caramel will harden into a very hard, glasslike sheet. Dark will harden
into a softer texture; the darker the caramel, the softer it will be when it
hardens with the most caramel taste.
But, how do you know when you have reached the
desirable color and temperature ? It's determined by simply removing the pan
from the heat and measuring it with a
Candy
Thermometer. The temperature to boil to is always specified in a candy
recipe and can be looked up on a
Sugar Syrup Chart. It's usually within
a temperature range of 320 to 356 degrees F. At 376 to 410 degrees F it will
turn dark brown and then black.
Soft caramels
have you add in the
sugar, sweetened condensed milk or cream, light corn syrup and salt all at once
into a pan. It is then placed over medium heat and stirred until the sugar is
completely dissolves. The butter is added and stirred until it melts into the
sugar syrup. The mixture is then boiled to 248 degrees (firm ball) as measured
with a Candy Thermometer. It is poured into a pan or molds to harden, resulting
in a soft, pliable treat.
Desirable quality
characteristics for soft caramels:
|
 | Appearance:
smooth, glossy, evenly-colored. |
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Consistency: soft-plastic, neither syrupy nor brittle.
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| Texture:
chewy, not excessively tough, not grainy. |
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| Flavor:
mild, caramel-like, not burnt or off-flavor. |
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|
Caramel Sauce
is a thin sweet sauce perfect spooned over desserts. It is also good over ice
cream.
Caramel Popcorn
is made by stirring together brown sugar, butter
and light corn syrup. When it boils, baking soda and vanilla extract is added.
It is then poured over popped corn.
|
HOW MAKING CARAMEL
WORKS: |
From clear:
When the sugar water mixture begins to boil it starts out as clear.
To pale amber:
The mixture will thicken and change color. This could take as long as 40
minutes.
Then dark amber:
The mixture very quickly turns from pale to dark amber. When this occurs,
remove the pan from the heat and quickly transfer it to the water bath for
10 seconds to stop the cooking. (To clean the pan later, add some water and
return it to the heat to soften the caramel.)
|
If
left on the heat, caramel will continue to cook and quickly change
from pale amber to dark amber -- I counted 15 seconds !! When you
reach the desired color and temperature, immediately remove the
caramel from both the heat and the pot, as it will continue to cook
and turn dark brown. |
|
HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL:
Recipes say to just heat sugar and water.
However, if you've ever attempted to make anything caramel,
then you know the drill. The whole process starts out simply enough, but then
there's the matter of hitting the precise degree on a candy thermometer and
washing the sides of the pot with a wet paintbrush to banish the dreaded
crystals.
Pretty soon you've got a headache, not to mention zero day
left. But, wait, I'll walk you through how to make caramel, and see if you can
pick up a few pointers to make it easier for you. (You can also just melt
caramel candies in a small pan under low, low heat, stirring constantly until
they melt, resulting in a delicious dessert topping or for use in a candy
recipe!)
Caramel
is best made with 100% or some amount of pure, white granulated cane sugar,
which will be clearly marked on the label. Brown sugar contains impurities that
prevent caramelization, but you'll still see it in some recipes. Every recipe
differs, so you'll see additional ingredients used.
|
For
the caramel to be smooth and not gritty, the sugar must be completely
dissolved; check for undissolved crystals by carefully taking some slightly
cooled caramel from the wooden spoon and rubbing it between your fingers.
Hot caramel burns, so be careful. |
One of the secrets to caramelizing sugar is to
use a heavy gauge, high-sided metal pan so that the sugar liquefies without
burning.
For example, in a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and
1/2 cup or more of water. Using your fingers to blend the mixture into a slurry.
Use your moistened pastry brush to wipe down the inside of the saucepan which
will prevent unwanted crystals from forming.
|
Caramel and
Butterscotch are made in similar ways
to toffee, as is fudge.
The difference is in the degree
of boiling temperature and the ways in which they are cooled. This whole
process uses high-heat to convert sugar. Crystallization, graininess, and
whether it is brittle or smooth are simply variations of this process.
Caramel and Toffee:
Caramel is a fairly chewy candy that is soft at room temperature; toffee is
harder and somewhat brittle. Both are basically a mixture of
boiled sugar and butter made in a way similar to that of hard candy except
that more ingredients are added. Milk in a sweetened, condensed, or
evaporated form is normally used. Fats, such as butter or vegetable oil, are
mixed with milk or some kind of syrup before being added to the batch of
candy. |
Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until
sugar dissolves (make sure no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between
fingers), occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. It is
essential that all sugar completely dissolves before the sugar comes to a boil.
This includes the sugar crystals that cling to the sides of the pan, otherwise
the mixture will crystallize once it boils, turning the caramel gritty. When
dissolved, clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan.
|
Sometimes
caramel recipes do not use pure caramel (i.e., simply sugar boiled to a
caramel stage) because even with nuts and chocolate on top, plain caramel is
a bit unpleasant to eat. (You know ... it's hard and brittle, it sticks to
your teeth, it's sharp and liable to cut your tongue, it's bitter, etc.)
Most caramel recipes involve
some kind of welcome doctoring of the plain boiled sugar -- stuff added,
like butter, or cream or molasses, etc., to make the candy more palatable.
All of those things tend to soften the caramel, and softer caramel is
stickier. And sticky caramel, well, sticks! |
Bring the mixture to a boil. DO NOT stir or shake the pan.
As the sugar heats, it liquefies and the
liquid in the sugar syrup evaporates. The liquid will reach the stage where very
large bubbles form in the syrup
Continue to cook the
sugar solution over the heat until it becomes a deep golden color. When
the caramel becomes dark amber (or whatever color the recipe specifies), remove
it from the heat immediately. If cooked too long, it darkens and turns bitter.
At this point two things can happen:
1. Some recipes have you stir in additional
ingredients: for example, remove the pan from the heat and stir in cream,
butter, vanilla, salt or nuts. When you add them, do so with the pan held away
from you, as the mixture usually bubbles up.
Some examples of
different ingredients used, and their outcome.
From the
Caramel Candy Recipe, stir in the
following before pouring the caramel into a pan or molds. To make:
| Almond caramel:
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and 1/2 cup sliced almonds
(optional) |
| Coconut caramel:
Reduce the amount of cream to 1/2 cup. Add 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
milk with the remaining cream. |
| Coffee caramel:
Warm the cream and add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder to it. Stir
until it completely dissolves, then add the coffee-flavored cream with
the sugar and corn syrup. |
| Rum caramel: Stir
in 1 tablespoon rum extract |
| Vanilla caramel:
Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract |
|
2. While other recipes call for using the cooked caramel as
is, such as Flan.
Classic flan begins with golden caramel that's made
by boiling sugar and water to just the right syrupy consistency and pouring it
into the bottom of a soufflé dish or individual ramekin. A custard of eggs and
milk (often flavored with vanilla) is then poured on top of the caramel and
baked until it sets.
| It's cajeta
(pronounced kah-HAY-tah), the Hispanic version of caramel, made with goat
milk instead of cow's milk. It also can include some seasoning, such as
cinnamon or vanilla if you care to add them. |
To stop the cooking process:
Whether or not you have added extra
ingredients, the cooking of the caramel must be stopped immediately. It is still
rather hot and continues to cook on its own even though it has been removed from
the heat. To stop it, quickly dip the bottom if the pot in ice water.
Do not stir or tilt the pan. Caramel is then
carefully poured at once onto greased marble slab or
Silpat Mat to cool or in a
glass bowl to hold the heat, depending on the recipe. Work
quickly.
As the caramel cools, it will thicken. But, its temperature
can still be hot, so handle carefully wearing mitts. The sugar will stay liquid
enough to work with easily for about 10 minutes; after that it will start to
thicken. If this happens before you are finished, just pop the caramel in the
microwave on medium for 3 to 5 minutes. This is so its color won't change (do
not recook it), until the sugar is liquid enough to work with once again. If you
reheat over the stove, the sugar will change colors. Make sure it does not
burn.
Basic Caramel Making Tips:
|
| Caramel is very hot and can cause dangerous burns if
you're not careful. |
|
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| Have everything ready before you start. If you go
hunting for your cream just as your sugar starts to color, the caramel
will quickly cross the line from brown to burned. |
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| Use a wooden spoon or spatula for stirring. The best of
heat-resistant rubber and plastic utensils have been known to melt in hot
caramel. |
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| Use an unlined, tall metal pot or pan, preferably heavy
stainless steel or cast iron. |
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| Keep a container of ice water handy. If you
accidentally spill hot caramel on your hand, immediately plunge it into
the ice water to stop the burn. |
|
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| Warm the cream if used in the recipe. Cold cream may
cause the caramel to seize or clump-up. |
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| Pour the liquid into the pot through a strainer
inverted over the pot to prevent splatters. |
|
|
| Wear oven mitts to protect your hands from the rising
steam. |
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|
| If the recipe says to place caramel in the refrigerator
(only 15-30 minutes, no more) to harden, I prefer using the freezer,
instead. Too long in the fridge can make sugar begin to weep (because the
fridge is a moist environment). The freezer has less humidity, which
prevents sticky candy. Place the candy in it for about 5 minutes.
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| When it comes to inherently sticky stuff, I like to use
lightly oiled aluminum foil. (Not olive oil! Yuck!). When using waxed
paper, often a waxy film is lifted from the paper onto the finished
product. I'm thinking of sticky buns baked on wax paper. I would never
expect them to lift clean off, especially the gooey butter, sugar,
cinnamon stuff on top that drips down. |
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After
unmolding your Crème caramel, you might find yourself with ramekins crusted
with hard rims of caramel. (Or, small utensils). For simple, effective
cleaning, I suggest placing the ramekins in a large Dutch oven or soup
kettle, covering them with 3 or 4 inches of water, and bringing the water to
a boil. Using long-handled tongs, swish the ramekins around in the boiling
water, lifting them up and pouring the water back into the pot. It may take
as long as 30 minutes, but the caramel will eventually dissolve into the
water. Follow with a quick soap-and-water wash, and the ramekins will be as
good as new. |
After making caramel, the real
task begins: how to clean the pot or other containers and utensils used, that
are covered from head to toe with hardened sugar syrup ?
Caramel can leave a real mess in a pan.
The key to remember is that after cleaning, the pot
and utensils must be absolutely spotless, otherwise it can't be used for your
next candy making project. The remaining sugar crystals will cause
crystallization when you make your next batch, ruining it.
To clean: For
a large pot, soak it in hot soapy water, and do the same for the utensils. When
the caramel dissolves (you may have to periodically add more hot water), you can
clean it. If it doesn't, place on stovetop, filled with water and bring to a
gentle boil for 5 to 10 minutes to loosen the caramel.
|
EASY
CARAMEL TOPPING OR DIP:
Sweetened
condensed or evaporated milk and butter give caramel its much-loved
rich creamy flavor. The actual "caramelization process"
results from the reaction of heat on milk and fat solids, along with
the sugar ingredients. The added moisture from milk and fat transform
hard brittle candies to pliable taffy-like toppings and treats. |
Eagle Brand has
some different ways to make caramel with sweetened condensed milk.
For safety reasons, heating the unopened can (an old cooking method) is
NOT recommended. Instead use one of the following methods.
OVEN METHOD:
Pour 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk into 9 inch pie plate.
Cover with aluminum foil; place in larger shallow pan. Fill larger pan
with hot water. Bake at 425 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours or until thick and
caramel colored.
STOVETOP METHOD:
Pour 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk into top of double boiler;
place over boiling water. Over low heat, simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until
thick and caramel colored. Beat until smooth.
MICROWAVE METHOD:
Pour 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk into 2-quart glass
measuring cup. Cook on 50% power (medium) 4 minutes, stirring briskly
every 2 minutes until smooth. Cook on 30% power (medium-low) 20 to 26
minutes or until very thick and caramel-colored, stirring briskly every 4
minutes during the first 16 minutes and every 2 minutes the last 4 to 10
minutes. |
Some information here, thanks to
Barry Marcus, Chef Instructor
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