Caramelization

Caramel. Care-uh-mel. Say it with me now. Not that car-mul mess people go on about. Not that care-uh-mul catastrophe either. Sorry :/ just how it is.

Burnt sugar, as it is, can actually be quite bitter, or very little, depending on how it is cooked. The lighter it is, typically referred to here as blonde, has a less intense flavor, but it also not as bitter as the darker caramels. Dark caramel tends to be more complex in flavor, but also carries much more bitterness with it. Please note that a dark caramel should not be black, which is completely burned and must be disposed of (more on how to do that later).

The varying shades of official caramels, the dark is what I prefer for sauces and the light is what I prefer for glazes

In fact, the only reason that caramel sauce isn't just heaps of bitterness is because of the fat content in the butter and cream. Fat has the capacity to carry flavor, such as in a saute, and mask flavor, like the bitterness in caramel, leaving a sweet, decadently rich sauce.

There are two methods, the wet and the dry.

Protip: they're as simple as they sound.

The wet method requires water, and the dry method doesn't.

Dry-cooking sugar is simply putting sugar in a pan and cooking it until the proper color is reached. It burns quicker, and lumps often form, which means it is more likely to be bitter by the time they're stirred out or melted down, and has a less complex flavor. I prefer to use 1 cup of sugar at a time, as it is often difficult to scale up and may burn by the time all of the lumps are gone.

The wet-method generally involves using one-third the amount of water as there is sugar, which becomes a supersaturated solution. This is at risk for crystallization if newer granules are introduces while there is a low water content or none whatsoever, which is why many recipes will say not to stir after it has started to boil and to wet down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush, to dissolve the sugar crystals left behind. I've never done either of these, and never had crystallization occur, but that isn't to say you shouldn't! Always do what works best for you. Unlike the dry-method, this can be scaled up evenly each time.

The difference in flavor profiles is actually due to the amount of time the sugar is exposed to heat. The wet-method takes several minutes longer to cook than the dry-method, due to having to evaporate all of the water away first so that the sugar can brown (remember y'all, water and steam prevent browning. In all things actually, even meats and vegetables. Remember to pat dry your meat before searing, and don't throw a bunch of soaked vegetables in some oil, expecting a proper sauté).

But I digress.

And I suppose I have to get down to the instructions at some point.

Step 1 is always preparation for things like these.

Have a bowl of cold water with some ice cubes handy. This will help with possible burns, and stop the cooking process of the caramel, which is essential if you don't want it to burn. You just want it in for a second or two, until the bubbling stops. I would recommend a hot pad on the counter too, just so you have a place near the work space to set the pot of caramel down on (if not making a caramel sauce).

Remember: Caramel is HOT. Very hot. Not the good kind of hot either. (Think Sebastian Stan: man's got more leg and thigh than a bucket of chicken.)

Some long sleeves would also be recommended, if you're into that. It gets too hot in the kitchen for me to do it here, but it's definitely a way to protect your arms.

I use 2 quart stainless steel saucepan, with a heavy bottom. Light in color, due to the ability to correctly see the current color of the caramel. Non-stick pans have coatings which can leech chemicals at high heats if heavily used.

Caramel made with only sugar and/or water will harden into a very brittle glass, and can be used to create spun sugar decorations, used as a glaze for eclairs and cream puffs, or used like cement to hold pastry together, as in a croquembouche. Lighter caramels work better for this.

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**Once the butter or cream is added, it will rise. I repeat. IT. WIll. RISE. Please use a steep saucepan large enough. Like, pick the size you think you need and go a size up. Or two. **

For a Wet-Method caramel sauce:

• 1 cup of white sugar (I don't normally use brown sugar in caramel. It's more acidic than I prefer, and I have a disdain for tannic flavors like in dry wines and some coffees. It also lends more of a butterscotch flavor, which isn't something I mind, it's just not caramel).

• 1/3 of a cup of water

• 1 tablespoon of glucose or light corn syrup (corn syrup adds a glossy sheen and helps to prevent crystallization)

• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (also helps to prevent crystallization).

• kosher salt to taste (optional)

• 6 tablespoons of room temperature or warmer butter.

• 1/2 cup of HOT cream (or half and half, but it won't be as thick)

• 2-3 tsp of vanilla extract, or a vanilla bean (optional)

Basically throw all of the ingredients in a pot (except the salt) and put it on medium heat. Stir constantly and gently, to avoid sugar crystals sticking to the edges (for risk of crystallization). Let the sugar crystals dissolve before the water boils, and then crank it up to high.

If desired, wet the sides of the pan with a pastry brush every few minutes. Once the boiling slows down and it becomes very thick, lower the heat to medium again, and put a lid over the pan. Peek at it every minute or so, swirling the pan often to distribute the heat. Once it's quite brown on the edges, but not dark, swirl it to distribute the color and let it cook for only a few seconds more, to the desired color, and dip the pan in the cold water.

It will continue to darken aeter this, so be careful not to burn it. If making a sauce, add the butter at this point and stir. It will bubble like crazy and rise. Then, drizzle in the hot cream. Having lukewarm-warm ingredients helps to not form a lumpy caramel. Add the salt (I prefer 3/4 of a teaspoon) and vanilla and stir to combine.

Congrats! You've boiled sugar at a temperature almost twice as hot as boiling water, and turned it into a delicious, thick (like Sebastian Stan), and luscious sauce.

Unless you've burned it, of course. The best I can do in this situation is turn on the fan, run to the pantry and get out the tinfoil, and quickly fold it into a makeshift boat to pour the blackened mess I've made into, scraping out as much as I can before it hardens into a piece of obsidian near inseparable from the pan. Once it cools, just dump it in the trash.

I prefer to let it sit at room temperature to cool down if I use it that day, or bring it up to room temperature by sitting it on the counter for a few hours before using it. I keep mine in the fridge, but expect it to be gritty and not the smoothest while still cold.

#recipe #caramel #sauce #sweet