The process of caramelization consists of heating sugar slowly to around 170°C (340°F). As the sugar heats, the molecules break down and re-form into compounds with a characteristic colour and flavour.

The wet method is a bit more complicated. You have to take the sugar and moisten it in a pan with a bit of water. As the water dissolves it distributes the sugar and promotes even browning. However, as the sugar caramelizes, the water boils off, and so the wet method allows for a slower caramelizing process which supports more complex flavors. Because the sugar browns slowly, it’s also easier to create a light or medium brown caramel instead of a dark one. What Can Go Wrong When Making Caramel? Spiced caramel sauce: There are several spices (or blends) that work well with caramel. Depending on how strong you like the flavor, add 1/2tsp-1 1/2tsp of cinnamon, gingerbread spice, pumpkin pie spice, etc. You can add a dash of cayenne pepper for a ‘spicy’ (hot) caramel sauce.Apples– That’s pretty obvious, considering the last recipe we offered, but simply eating a piece of caramel along with a fresh apple is a terrific combination. You don’t even have to go through the whole process of coating apples with caramel to experience the tangy yet sweet blend of the two flavors. It’s a great combo, especially during the fall. With a sprinkle of cinnamon to go along with the apples and caramel, you can be transported to heaven.

The type of cooker you use can affect the way the caramel is made. On an induction/electric hob, I find that you can wait for it to become a deep reddish amber color. However, on a gas hob, it’s usually best to move on to the next step when it’s a slightly lighter amber. Caramelization is the removal of water from a sugar, proceeding to isomerization and polymerization of the sugars into various high-molecular-weight compounds. Compounds such as difructose anhydride may be created from the monosaccharides after water loss. Fragmentation reactions result in low-molecular-weight compounds that may be volatile and may contribute to flavor. Polymerization reactions lead to larger-molecular-weight compounds that contribute to the dark-brown color. [13] Caramel candy, or "caramels", and sometimes called " toffee" (though this also refers to other types of candy), is a soft, dense, chewy candy made by boiling a mixture of milk or cream, sugar(s), glucose, butter, and vanilla (or vanilla flavoring). The sugar and glucose are heated separately to reach 130°C (270°F); the cream and butter are then added which cools the mixture. The mixture is then stirred and reheated until it reaches 120°C (250°F). Upon completion of cooking, vanilla or any additional flavorings and salt are added. Adding the vanilla or flavorings earlier would result in them burning off at the high temperatures. Adding salt earlier in the process would result in inverting the sugars as they cooked.While it’s true that burning the caramel can happen (and I’ll admit, it’s happened to me too), it’s usually when you decide to take your eye off the pan during the pivotal moment (it takes seconds for it to turn from delicious golden amber to burned!). All you need is a little patience and to pay attention, and you should never have to deal with burnt caramel again.

Butterscotch candy comes in various flavors, as often additional ingredients like salt, vanilla, or cream are added to the mixture. What is Toffee? Alternatively, all ingredients may be cooked together. In this procedure, the mixture is not heated above the firm ball stage (120°C [250°F]), so that caramelization of the milk occurs. This temperature is not high enough to caramelize sugar and this type of candy is often called milk caramel or cream caramel. Even though caramel candy is sometimes called "toffee" and is also compared with butterscotch, there is a difference. While toffee and butterscotch are more closely related than caramel, they do have most of the same ingredients. However, the difference is that toffee and butterscotch uses molasses or brown sugar while caramel uses white sugar. They are also cooked at different temperatures and they each have their own cooking techniques that makes them unique in taste and shape. [8] Salting [ edit ]A light-colored pot is helpful to see the caramel’s color as it cooks. What’s the difference between wet caramel and dry caramel? Caramel Sauce : If you need a classic caramel sauce to drizzle over ice cream or serve alongside pie, this is it. It’s a wet caramel that starts with sugar and water, as well as an optional touch of cream of tartar as insurance against crystallizing. Flavor with vanilla, rum, or a dash of boiled cider at the end for extra dimension. Caramel Candies: This caramel is great as a sauce, topping, or filling, but won’t set up properly to make soft caramel candies. Here is my soft caramels recipe. Cover the pot: Alternatively, Mel says you can periodically cover the pot with a lid to trap steam, which causes water drops to fall down the sides of the pot and melt any crystallized sugar on the sides. Uncover once the crystals are dissolved. Caramel can be produced in so many forms such as, sauce, a chewy candy, or a hard candy because of how much of an ingredient is added and the temperature it is being prepared at. [8]

Food extracts are essential in a wide range of baked goods and sweets. Flavourful food extracts are responsible for the deep-rooted flavors and tastes we have learned to enjoy. There are flavors ranging from choco-chips to tootie-frootie and vanilla, yet caramel always stays a classic. Whisk together half of the water and all of the sugar in a 1.5 quart saucepan. There’s more sugar in the beginning to allow for a nice caramelization. Once it’s combined and begins to simmer and boil, there isn’t much of a need to stir it. If anything, just gently swirl the pan a couple of times.At this point, switch off the heat and add any extra flavorings, stirring them in well to combine fully. You can’t really turn this sauce into a homemade wrapped candy. Instead, try my soft caramel candies recipe which is a little different. How to Store Salted Caramel