Sugar is one of the favorite ingredients for sweet tooth. And not only in its pure form. It is also the main ingredient in making caramel sauce, used to decorate desserts and dishes. In fact, it is a product of caramelization of sugar. It is worth noting that making caramel is quite simple. All cooking takes a few minutes.
This article will describe in detail how to conduct this process in several ways for different purposes.
The method of preparation of caramel on the water
This variant of sugar caramelization is extremely popular among housewives. It is quite easy to implement, and also allows you to more likely prevent the burning of the main component. At the same time, it takes a little longer in cooking. Nevertheless, the result is much better.
Essential Ingredients
For caramelization of sugar in this way you will need:
- white sugar - 2 cups;
- water - half a glass;
- lemon juice - a quarter of a teaspoon.
In the event that it is not planned to prepare a large amount of sauce, you can use the ingredients in the following volume:
- one cup of granulated sugar ;
- the fourth part of a glass of water;
- 1/8 part of a teaspoon of lemon juice.
Attention! If there is a need to change the consistency of caramel (more liquid or thicker), you need to change the ratio of sugar to water. The more water, the more liquid it is.
The process of creating caramel
For cooking, you must use a high-quality pan made of metal or stainless steel (allows you to see the color change of the product). It should have high walls and a thick bottom. If the bottom is thin, the sugar will surely burn out at one of the so-called "hot spots", which will immediately ruin the caramel.
Now you can proceed to the cooking process itself:
- In a pan, mix sugar and water. Set to medium heat.
- Mix the mixture constantly with a wooden spoon.
- The standard temperature for caramelization of sugar is 160 degrees.
- Cook the contents until they are transparent.
- At this point, you can add lemon juice. Its use will help to avoid recrystallization of sugar.
- Now the contents must be cooked until it boils. Then stop mixing.
- At the moment, it is worth slightly reducing the power of the flame and boil the sauce for another 8 to 10 minutes. It is noteworthy that caramelization of sugar should take place on low heat, and not boil. It is also worth noting that, depending on how much water was used, the duration of the preparation of caramel will also depend.
Important! At the moment when the water begins to evaporate from the dishes, do not mix the contents. Otherwise, the caramel will be enriched with air and the mixture will not take the desired color.
Also, you can not leave the pan unattended. The color change from white to dark is fast enough. If the caramel is burnt, it must be discarded. This result is absolutely not edible.
During cooking, it is necessary to monitor how the color of the contents of the pan changes. If it appears unevenly, simply carefully lift the dishes by the handles and turn the pan, thus allowing the product to cook evenly.
In no case do not try the prepared caramel. Its temperature at this stage reaches 170 degrees and can leave serious burns on the skin.
It is necessary to ensure that the color of the mixture is uniform. Once it becomes a little thick, you can finish cooking.
Remove dishes from the stove immediately after cooking. Otherwise, caramelization of sugar will fail and the product will burn.
To avoid burning the sauce from residual heat, the pan must be put in cold water so that the bottom cools properly. Hold for no more than 10 seconds.
Use the prepared sauce immediately after it has been removed from the stove. The problem is that as it cools, it hardens extremely quickly, and therefore, it will not work to pour or spray it.
In the event that the hardening has nevertheless begun, simply place the dishes on a small fire and melt the caramel. In this case, it is better not to stir with a spoon, but simply rotate the pan.
The following is another technological mode of sugar caramelization.
Dry Caramel Cooking
Cooking in this way is most relevant among those involved in the production of sweets. This option takes much less time than the previous one.
What is needed for cooking
To make caramel, you need only granulated sugar. Depending on how much caramel is needed, the volume is also calculated. Often these are two cups.
A stainless steel pan with a thick bottom and high walls is also taken for cooking.
How to make caramel
Before cooking, sand must be evenly distributed along the bottom of the pan.
Heat the sugar over low heat. At this time, the contents should begin to melt along the edges, acquiring a golden color.
As soon as the change begins, mix the contents with a wooden spoon. During this process, it is necessary to shift it from the walls to the center. In the event that the sand layer is sufficiently dense, you need to ensure that it does not stick to the bottom.
The product will melt unevenly, and therefore you just need to reduce the heat and continue to mix. During this process, the resulting lumps will melt.
Do not stir the contents too much, otherwise the sugar mixture will clutch in a lump and not have time to melt.
Keep an eye on the upcoming caramel very carefully. She should achieve an amber color.
It is necessary to remove the product from the stove exactly at the moment when it begins to smoke.
Depending on what the caramel is used for, you must either immediately remove it from the stove and place it in ice water for 10 seconds, or use it immediately for pouring or spraying.
The following will be a recipe for caramelization of sugar for moonshine.
Caramel for mash
This process is used when it becomes necessary to replace yeast that is not able to process sugar in the form in which it is. This option has the following advantages and disadvantages.
Benefits
Among them are:
- reduction of the preparation time of the drink;
- caramelization of sugar for mash allows you to clean the component due to processing at high temperatures;
- cooking in this way radically changes the taste of the final product;
- when using the classic moonshine still, the final product is of higher quality;
- in the case of using caramelized sugar, the finished product will have a pleasant aroma, especially the latter will be noticeable if you add fruit during manufacture.
disadvantages
These include the following points:
- due to the additional process, a little more time is spent than without caramelization;
- the output will turn out several percent less, but at the same time, that part that can spoil the taste will go into this loss;
- furfural is released.
What to cook caramel from
To prepare such a component you will need:
- 3 kilograms of sugar;
- 1.5 liters of water;
- 12 grams of citric acid.
How to make caramel according to this recipe
For cooking, it is necessary to use deep stainless steel dishes, with high walls and a thick bottom.
- Water poured into the pan must be heated to 80 degrees.
- Pour sugar into the boiling liquid in portions and very slowly so that the sand has time to dissolve. At this time, stir the contents of the pan.
- After all the sand has been poured, you can bring the water to a boil. Because of this, white foam begins to appear on its surface. It must be removed regularly. Continue this process for no more than 10 minutes.
- Further, without ceasing to stir, citric acid is added to the pan. This is done in small portions. Then cover the dishes and reduce the heat to a minimum.
- It is necessary to maintain the temperature in the same range. For normal caramelization of sugar - set to 80 degrees. Continue this process for an hour. Keep the pan closed.
- as soon as time runs out, the fire must be turned off and the contents of the dishes cool to 30 degrees.
Cooking Tips
- It is recommended to adhere to low temperature conditions. Thus, it will be better to control the cooking process.
- At the end of cooking, make sure that the caramel does not burn. This can happen extremely quickly.
- The addition of lemon juice will give the product an unusual aroma, as well as prevent hardening.