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Caramelize
Transform sugar into color and deep flavor
The Technique
Melt the sugar dry or with a little water over medium heat, without ever stirring with a spoon. Just tilt the pan to distribute the heat. The sugar goes from clear to golden, then to amber: watch relentlessly once it turns golden.
« For a liquid caramel, a tarte Tatin, a flan, or for searing vegetables and onions until their natural sugars brown and »
When
For a liquid caramel, a tarte Tatin, a flan, or for searing vegetables and onions until their natural sugars brown and concentrate their flavor. Any long cooking process over high heat that aims for a nice color relies on this principle.
« Adding a cold liquid all at once causes scalding splatters »
Common Mistakes
- Stirring with a spoon causes the sugar to recrystallize into grains
- Looking away for a few seconds too long turns the caramel from golden to burnt
- Adding a cold liquid all at once causes scalding splatters
« A caramel that is too pale remains bland, a brown caramel becomes noticeably bitter. »
The Visual Cue
Caramel goes from light golden to dark amber in just a few seconds, at about 170 degrees. As soon as a light smoke appears and it smells nutty, remove from the heat immediately. A caramel that is too pale remains bland, a brown caramel becomes noticeably bitter.