10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Caramel (2024)

FAQs

10 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Caramel? ›

Getting the incorrect ratio of liquid to sugar

Adding too much liquid can leave you with a sauce that's too runny or which is dull and flavorless. Too little liquid, on the other hand, may make your caramel unpourable or too sugary. The secret lies in getting the right ratio of liquid to sugar.

Getting the incorrect ratio of liquid to sugar

Adding too much liquid can leave you with a sauce that's too runny or which is dull and flavorless. Too little liquid, on the other hand, may make your caramel unpourable or too sugary. The secret lies in getting the right ratio of liquid to sugar.

Crystallization may be prevented by adding an interferent, such as acid (lemon, vinegar, tartaric, etc.) or glucose or corn syrup, during the boiling procedure.

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test. Details on how to use this method can be found here.

In terms of appearance, spoiled caramel will appear lumpy or hard. The liquids and solids may have separated, creating a watery film. A significant color change is also a good indicator that your sauce has gone bad. If the sight test checks out, give your caramel sauce a sniff.

It makes sense to stir your pot, but you have to resist the urge. The reason that caramel turns back into sugar crystals and becomes grainy is because too much moisture has been lost in the cooking process. When sugar is dissolved in water it loses its structure and becomes the liquid that develops into caramel.

For the "dry" caramel method, you simply heat the sugar in an empty pan until melted and caramelized. It's quick and direct, but the risk is that some parts of the sugar melt faster than others, and can burn before the rest had made it even to light amber.

Why Did My Caramel Seize? If too many bits of sugar get stuck to the side of the pan, they will harden and can cause the caramel to seize or become gritty or grainy when you add in the butter and/or the cream.

Like dry caramel, you want to gently move the sugar mixture in that same side-to-side paintbrush-like fashion until the sugar dissolves. Then, as soon as the mixture comes to a boil, it should not be stirred, as the agitation can cause crystallization.

What makes caramel more runny? ›

To thin caramel, just add some cream or water over heat. Melt caramel loaves in the oven. You can also add corn syrup or lemon juice to caramel sauces to prevent them from crystallizing.

To thicken a caramel sauce, use one tablespoon of cornstarch or tapioca starch (sometimes known as tapioca flour) and one tablespoon of water per cup of caramel. Then simmer the caramel, stirring it constantly with a wooden spoon until it becomes thick.

The water evaporates, leaving sugar crystals behind. If even one sugar crystal falls back into the pan of cooking caramel, it starts a chain reaction of sugar crystals and the entire pan will harden.

Cooking your Cocomels in a liquid (like canned coconut milk, water or something fun like chai tea, coffee, etc…). One note: be careful of Cocomel that sits on the bottom of a dish as that can burn during baking.

How long does it take caramel to set? Give your caramel at least two hours to set, or overnight if possible. You can also pop caramel into the fridge to help it set up faster. The caramel will sweat a little when brought out of the fridge, but will still taste fine.

That water will end up in the caramel itself, so if you've added too much it might result in a thin caramel sauce. Try adjusting the cooking time to allow the excess water to evaporate.

The water evaporates, leaving sugar crystals behind. If even one sugar crystal falls back into the pan of cooking caramel, it starts a chain reaction of sugar crystals and the entire pan will harden. The result? Gross, grainy caramel that is unusable in most recipes.

Burnt Caramel: 392°F

There's no mistaking when your caramel begins to burn. It looks blackish-brown, smells burnt and has swirls of rising smoke that sting your eyes. The caramel is a loss at this point—it will taste bitter and burned no matter what else you add. Uses: None, toss it.

Once the sugar has melted, continue cooking it until it turns into a rich amber color. It should be removed from the heat source when it begins to smoke and foam a little around the edges. Burning most commonly occurs when the caramel is left for too long on the heat source or when the temperature is too high.