Aunt Val's Caramel - the Best Ever Homemade Caramel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is caramel just sugar and water? ›

Wet caramel is made by combining sugar and a liquid and cooking them together, while dry caramel is made from just sugar, heated in a dry pan until it liquefies and browns.

This can be caused by extended cooking times (especially under acidic conditions) and the use of the enzyme invertase.

Pour in your 400g can of condensed sweetened milk then bring it to a boil, stirring continuously for around 3 minutes. After it thickens and darkens, you're done!

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.

Follow the recipe carefully, and never melt your caramel on your stove's highest setting—it will cause the caramel to scorch and taste burnt. Once it gets a burnt or bitter flavor, it can't be saved. Luckily, sugar is inexpensive, so you can always start over!

This wee amount of acid prevents any crystallization—from subtle graininess to total disasters. In other words, it leads you toward the smoothest, shiniest, silkiest caramel sauce.

Once the sugar has all dissolved and turned brown, we add butter. The heat of the caramel will melt the butter and create even more wonderful flavors.

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.

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 to stop caramel from sticking? ›

Originally Answered: How can I prevent melting sugar (caramel) sticking to pan? If you are using brown sugar, once you put it into your pan, don't touch it. Make sure you have some butter in your pan and keep the temperature low. If you stir the brown sugar it will be a mess, so just leave it alone…it will turn out ok.

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Place can of condensed milk, unopened, in the boiling water. Cover and let simmer for 3 hours, refilling water as needed and turning the can every half hour to prevent scorching. Carefully open can and serve.

Sure enough, Carnation condensed milk comes with a warning: "Do not boil unopened can as bursting may occur." According to Serious Eats, when the boiling water evaporates, leaving the metal exposed, the can may warp, split, or yes, explode.

To make a perfect easy caramel every-time, simply add one or two drops of vinegar and just enough water to wet the sugar. The idea is to lower the PH. you can also use a small pinch of citric acid or cream of tartar if you have.

Don't stir the pot

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.

Sugar Note: Most chefs say that only granulated sugar can be successfully caramelized; other sugars — such as brown sugar and unrefined sugar such as cane sugar — contain impurities that can inhibit caramelization. It's those impurities that can burn before the sugar has time to caramelize.