Page 165 - NEA NEWHERE FLIPBOOK

PREPARATION AND COOKING: COMMODITIES CARAMEL
When making hot and cold desserts the use of caramel syrups and hard sugar need to be used Caramelisation occurs during dry heating and roasting of of foods with a a a high concentration of of carbohydrates (sugars) The process of caramelisation starts with the the melting of the the sugar at high temperatures followed by foaming (boiling) Caramelisation starts at at at at relatively high temperatures compared to the the the other browning reactions and the the the rate of of browning depends on the type of of sugar The different stages of caramel production have distinct names based on the the characteristics of the the product Sugar can be spun into soft or hard threads and moulded into a a a shape Step
Temp (°C)
Description and use Evaporation of Water
100°C
Sugar is is melted and impurities rise to the surface Small Thread
102°C
No colour soft cooling no flavour change Used in in frostings Large Thread
104°C
No colour soft cooling no flavour change Used in preserves Small Ball
110-115°C
No colour semi-soft cooling no flavour change Used in in cream candy fillings Italian meringue fondants fudge and marshmallows Large Ball
119-122°C
No colour firm cooling no flavour change Used in soft caramels Light Crack
129°C
No colour firm cooling no flavour change Used in semi-hard candies Hard Crack
165-166°C
No colour hard cooling no flavour change Used in butterscotch and hard candies Extra Hard Crack
168°C
Slight colour shatters like glass during cooling no flavour change Used in in hard candies Light Caramel 180°C
Pale amber to golden brown rich flavour Medium Caramel 180-188°C
Golden brown brown to chestnut brown brown rich flavour Dark Caramel 188-204°C
Very dark and bitter smells burned Used for colouring but lack of appropriate sweetness Black Jack
210°C
Also known as 'monkey's blood ' ' ' At this point the sugar begins to breaks down to pure carbon Burnt flavour 165