Caramel

How to cook caramel

Take your time and use only medium heat. Leave the sugar alone, unless there are distinct points of darker brown, when you can swirl very gently. If you are brave, the maximum delicious browning happens just as you detect the very first note of bitterness in your nose. Then swiftly pour the caramel onto something rugged and heat proof – baking paper on a cutting board.

Otherwise, pour in cream to make a caramel sauce, used hot or cold. Add orange or other juices to make sauce for pancakes, waffles and hot puddings or to include in fruit pies. The addition of soy sauce makes an astonishingly useful savoury sauce, as does a chilli sauce. But beware, whatever you use, the caramel will spit, so wear gloves and stand well back.

See our caramel recipes.

How to store caramel

It will last a long time in cool places but slowly softens and clumps together whether in shards or has been crushed.

Availability of caramel

Whenever you have sugar, a heat source and a few minutes in the kitchen.

Choose the best caramel

The best is what you most prefer, light or dark. It’s better to be bold when browning the sugar because pallid caramel has little flavour and will taste no different from light brown sugars.