On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1241

The flavors of caramelization Heat transforms table sugar, a sweet, odorless, single kind of molecule, into hundreds of different molecules that generate a complex flavor and rich brown color A few aromatic examples (clockwise from top left) : alcohol, sherry-like acetaldehyde, vinegary acetic acid, buttery diacetyl, fruity ethyl acetate, nutty furan, solvent-like benzene, and toasty maltol Making Caramel The usual technique for making caramel is to mix table sugar with some water, then heat until the water has boiled off and the molten sugar colors Why add water if the first thing you do is boil it off? Water makes it possible to cook the sugar over high heat from the very beginning without the danger of burning it In addition, the presence of water prolongs the period during which the syrup is cooked, gives these reactions more time to proceed, and develops a stronger flavor than heating the sugar on its own very quickly And water enhances the conversion of sucrose into its glucose and fructose components Cooking the syrup in the microwave oven has been found to produce a somewhat different spectrum of flavors than ordinary stovetop cooking Once caramelization and color and flavor generation begin, the overall set of reactions actually gives off heat, and can run away and burn the sugar if it’s not carefully controlled It’s helpful to have a bowl of cold water ready to cool the pan down as soon as the caramel is done Excessive caramelization turns the syrup very dark, bitter, and viscous or even solid The Flavor of Caramelized Sugar The aroma of a simple caramelized sugar has ... ordinary stovetop cooking Once caramelization and color and flavor generation begin, the overall set of reactions actually gives off heat, and can run away and burn the sugar if it’s not carefully controlled.. .the presence of water prolongs the period during which the syrup is cooked, gives these reactions more time to proceed, and develops a stronger flavor than heating the sugar on its own very quickly... It’s helpful to have a bowl of cold water ready to cool the pan down as soon as the caramel is done Excessive caramelization turns the syrup very dark, bitter, and viscous or even solid The Flavor of Caramelized Sugar The