David Lebovitz - Ready for Dessert

Caramelization Guidelines

Caramel frequently shows up in my recipes because its one of my favorite flavors. Although its not difficult to caramelize sugar, if you havent done it before, the process can be intimidating, and it might take a couple of tries before youre comfortable taking it to the right degree of darkness: a deep amber liquid, on the edge of burnt, but still sweet in flavor.

When sugar is heated, it melts into liquid. As the sugar continues to cook, it begins to take on a bit of color, or caramelize. Because cookware and heat sources dont always distribute heat evenly, you need to stand guard during the entire process, encouraging the sugar to cook at an even rate.

The two things to watch out for when making caramel are recrystallizationwhat happens when sugar crystals join together in a lumpy massand burning the sugar. You can avoid recrystallization by making sure that the sugar is free of impurities and that the pan used to cook the caramel is clean. If youre making a wet caramelone that begins with sugar and water (more on that in a bit)limiting the amount that the mixture is stirred during cooking helps guard against recrystallization.

To avoid burning the caramel, its just a matter of being vigilant. The melted sugar should be cooked until its a deep amber colorits done when it starts to smoke and begins to foam just a little bit. At this point, it should be removed from the heat immediately to stop the sugar from darkening any further. Usually, a liquid is then quickly added, which also helps halt the cooking.

After making caramel, to clean the pan and dissolve any stuck-on bits, either soak it in warm water or fill the pan with water, bring it to a boil, and continue boiling until the caramel dissolves.

WET AND DRY CARAMEL

There are two kinds of caramel made in this book: wet and dry. A wet caramel is made by heating sugar and water together in the pan. Since wet caramel doesnt get too hard when cooled, I use it for sauces and to line ramekins for flan. A dry caramel is simply sugar heated without any liquid and can handle being stirred gently.

Wet Caramel

When making caramel, especially wet caramel, your main nemesis will be the sugars natural tendency to recrystallize. The sugar crystals have jagged edges and, even after liquefying, want to regroup into a solid mass. Stirring a wet caramel encourages these crystals to hook upand cause clumping.

One common technique for preventing recrystallization is to cook the sugar in a covered pot until the sugar is completely melted; the trapped condensation washes away crystals clinging to the side of the pot. Another is to use a clean brush dipped in water to wash down the sides, dissolving any crystals that may have formed. I dont recommend the latter technique as Ive lost a few bristles in the carameland found them later, when dessert was served. You can also add an interfering agent a tiny amount of cream of tartar or lemon juicenear the beginning of cooking to help inhibit recrystallization.

To make a wet caramel, begin by sprinkling the sugar in an even layer in a heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan. Pour water over the sugar until is it completely and evenly moistenedyou dont want any dry spots. Cook the sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. At this point, add a pinch of cream of tartar or a few drops of lemon juice, if indicated or desired. Continue cooking, watching carefully as the sugar begins to brown. If it starts to recrystallize, swirl the pan and continue to cook. Usually, the lumps will melt as the caramel continues to cook.

When the caramel has darkened to the point of being almost burntwhen its dark amber in color, smoking, and beginning to gently foamtake it off the heat and stop the cooking by pouring in the liquid called for in the recipe. Then stir or whisk the caramel over low heat until its smooth. If the lumps persist, you can always strain them out.

Dry Caramel

In some ways, making dry caramel is easier than making wet caramel, but it can be difficult to control the rate of caramelization because it happens much more quickly.

To make dry caramel, sprinkle an even layer of sugar in a heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan. As you heat the sugar, the edges and bottom will melt first and start browning. With a heatproof utensil, gently push the liquefied sugar toward the center, which encourages the still-solid sugar to begin melting. Once the sugar begins to color, watch very closely because dry caramel cooks rapidly, so dont take your eyes off it until its the proper color. If the recipe calls for a liquid, add it now. Then stir or whisk the caramel over low heat until smooth. If there are any small bits of sugar remaining, you can strain the caramel to remove them.