How to Caramelize With White Sugar
Caramelizing sugar is a basic cooking technique that is used to start many candy recipes and dessert sauces. It can be daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, it will open the doors to many new and exciting recipes to explore!
How to caramelize with white sugar
There are two basic ways to carmelize sugar. One is with a ‘wet’ method where you use water to help with the heat, and the other is a ‘dry’ method that doesn’t involve any added water. Both methods achieve the same end result, but they have their advantages and disadvantages depending on what you want to accomplish.
Wet Method
When you’re using a ‘wet’ method to caramelize sugar, you’ll need to add water and gently sway the pot so that all the sugars are evenly heated. This prevents uneven heating and helps to make sure that all of the sugar dissolves properly.
This will take some time, so be patient and keep an eye on it. If you do get any sugar that isn’t completely dissolved, add some more water and continue to boil until all of the sugar has dissolved.
You can also use a candy thermometer to get a better idea of what temperature the caramel is at, but it’s easier to judge it by its color! This is the best way to judge when you’ve reached your final temperature.
Dry Method
To get started with the ‘dry’ method, place a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Whether you’re using white or brown sugar, stir to incorporate the sugar and water.
As the sugar begins to dissolve, you’ll notice that it begins to bubble and cook. This is because of the sugar’s natural ‘insulating’ properties. When the sugar is hot enough, more water will begin to evaporate and the syrup will begin to caramelize.
The syrup will eventually reach a temperature of about 320 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the point where it becomes melted sugar, which will cause the sugar to turn dark brown and smell nutty in flavor.
Once the syrup has reached this temperature, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool. If you’re using a thermometer, check the syrup again at this point to ensure that it’s ready for use.
If you’re not using a thermometer, you’ll need to watch it closely to know when the caramel has turned dark brown in color and is ready for use. This is because once the sugar has turned a certain color, it will begin to burn quickly and may be too hot to handle.
When making a recipe that calls for white or brown sugar, be careful not to use more than the recommended amount of each. This can lead to a grainy, too-sweet result when you’re trying to caramelize it.
To learn more about the different types of sugar and how they can be caramelized, please visit our Sugar FAQ page! It’s an important resource for all the caramel-lovers out there!
