The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
Making caramel can feel very dramatic in the kitchen: the change from a clear sugar syrup to a deep amber one can happen very quickly. But one of the difficulties of making caramel, especially for novice candy makers, is not just knowing when to stop, but also learning how to read the subtle visual cues. Sugar does not give you many warning signs when it is about to burn. The ability to watch for those cues over the few minutes the sugar cooks takes time to develop, but it’s a skill that can’t be learned from a recipe alone.
Start with a small saucepan and a small amount of sugar. It’s easier to work with and less of a waste if you accidentally burn it. Bring the sugar to a boil over a low flame and try not to stir it once it has started to dissolve. Gently tilt the pan so the liquid sugar flows across the top. As the crystals dissolve, the syrup goes from clear to light golden. Pay close attention at this point, because once the syrup reaches this point, it will start to darken much more quickly. Try repeating the process a few times with the same amount of sugar and observing how the syrup deepens in color from a light honey to a deeper amber.
One of the most common errors in making caramel is to step away for just a second. Caramel that takes on a deep amber color verges into a dark brown and develops a bitter flavor that can ruin desserts. Knowing when to pull the pan off the stove takes practice, and it’s better to err on the side of caution. Try pulling the pan off the heat a little earlier than you think is necessary. The residual heat in the pan will continue to cook the sugar even after you’ve removed it from the burner, so the color will deepen just a bit more. This simple trick will help you avoid the burnt flavor that many novice cooks encounter.
Listening and smelling can also be helpful. In the beginning, the syrup bubbles gently and has a neutral aroma, something akin to warm sugar water. As the caramel cooks, the bubbles get thicker and the aroma changes to a toasty sweetness. Paying attention to these cues as you cook helps develop a sense of when to stop. With time, these cues become more important than looking at the clock.
One of the best ways to practice making caramel is to dedicate a spare 15 minutes in the kitchen to melting sugar. Melt three batches in a row, pulling the pan off the heat at slightly different times so the syrup is a lighter or darker amber. Allow each batch to cool on a piece of parchment paper, then taste it. The lightest batch will be sweet without much depth of flavor, while the darkest will have a deeper, almost smoky flavor. With practice, your eye will learn exactly when to stop so that the flavor is deep and caramel-y without the burnt edge.
