How To Make Caramel

Desserts with caramel toppings are sinfully delicious and are just too tempting to resist. Do you want to jazz up your much loved desserts with your very own homemade caramel? Making caramel at home is quite easy, that is if you know the right procedure. Homemade caramel sauce can be added to ice creams, cakes, puddings, or in any dessert. Caramel can be made by heating up sugar on a medium flame. Caramels are usually of two types – ‘dry caramel’ and ‘wet caramel’. Dry caramel is made by melting sugar with water. However, making wet caramel can be a bit tricky as crystallization might occur, thus forming lumps. If you want to cook some sweet treats for your guests, then here are a few recipes and handy tips for making wet caramel and dry caramel. Read through the sections that follow and just pick the one that suits your needs.

Making Caramel At Home

Wet Caramel

• 175 g white Caster Sugar
• 2 tbsp hot Water
• Heavy-gauge aluminum saucepan (preferably pale in color)
• Wooden spoon

• Preheat the pan gently on a medium flame for a few minutes.
• Add the castor sugar in the pan and place the pan on a medium heat. Keep a watchful eye on the pan to avoid burning.
• After a few minutes, the sugar will start to melt.
• You will soon notice that the sugar has started to caramelize at the edges.
• Shake the contents of the pan to avoid burning of the sugar. Then place it on the flame again for the sugar to melt completely.
• Take a wooden spoon and stir the sugar gently for about 10 minutes. Gradually the whole sugar will melt until the molten sugar changes to the color of honey.
• Don’t rush in and increase the flame to quicken the process. Doing so will burn the sugar. Be patient and allow the entire sugar to melt on low-to-medium heat.
• Once the whole sugar has melted and changed color, take the pan off the heat. Mix two tablespoon of hot water to it.
• Stir well. If you notice any lump, then re-heat it once more in low heat.
• Your caramel is now ready to use!

Dry Caramel

• Deep Skillet
• Spatula
• 200g sugar

• Take a deep skillet and heat the sugar over moderate heat.
• Keep a watchful eye till the sugar starts melting at the edges.
• Once the sugar starts melting at the edges, use a spatula to drag the sugar towards the center. This will prevent burning of the sugar.
• Once the sugar melts completely, it will turn mellow brown in color.
• At this stage, keep the flame lowered to avoid formation of lumps.
• Avoid stirring the contents of the skillet very often.
• Once all the sugar melts to an equal consistency, your caramel is ready to be used.

• Melted sugar is very high in temperature, greater than the temperature of boiling water. So handle the caramel very carefully.
• If you are working with caramel for the first time, keep some ice and water nearby. If some hot caramel spills on your hand, just dip your hand in the cold water.
• When the sugar has almost melted, keep stirring continuously to avoid burning.
• You can use an oven mitt when working with the melting of the sugar.
• Use a pan that won’t overflow.