Login
Login

Caramelization

{{Short description|Process of liquifying sugar}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2021}}

{{CSS image crop

|Image = 2014 0531 Crème brûlée Doi Mae Salong.jpg

|bSize = 500

|cWidth = 300

|cHeight = 300

|oTop = 300

|oLeft = 80

|Location = 'right'

|Description = Caramelized crust on a crème brûlée

}}

Caramelization (or caramelisation) is a process of browning of sugar used extensively in cooking for the resulting butter-like flavor and brown color. The brown colors are produced by three groups of polymers: {{chem name|caramelans}} (C24H36O18), {{chem name|caramelens}} (C36H50O25), and {{chem name|caramelins}} (C125H188O80). As the process occurs, volatile chemicals such as diacetyl (known for its intense butter-like taste) are released, producing the characteristic caramel flavor.{{Cite book|title=Food Chemistry: A Laboratory Manual|last=Miller|first=Dennis|publisher=Wiley-Interscience|year=1998|isbn=978-0471175438}}

Like the Maillard reaction, caramelization is a type of non-enzymatic browning. Unlike the Maillard reaction, caramelization is pyrolytic, as opposed to being a reaction with amino acids.

When caramelization involves the disaccharide sucrose, it is broken down into the monosaccharides fructose and glucose.{{cite journal |title=Characteristics of the Thermal Degradation of Glucose and Maltose Solutions |journal=Prev Nutr Food Sci |date=2015 |pmid=26175997 |pmc=4500512 |last1=Woo |first1=K. S. |last2=Kim |first2=H. Y. |last3=Hwang |first3=I. G. |last4=Lee |first4=S. H. |last5=Jeong |first5=H. S. |volume=20 |issue=2 |pages=102–9 |doi=10.3746/pnf.2015.20.2.102 }}

Process

{{Unreferenced section|find=search keyword(s)|date=February 2021}}

Image:Caramelisation of carrots.jpg (carrots, onions, and celery) being caramelized]]

Caramelization is a complex, poorly understood process that produces hundreds of chemical products, and includes the following types of reactions:

Effects of caramelization

File:Teilweise_karamellisierter_Würfelzucker.png]]

The process is temperature-dependent. Specific sugars each have their own point at which the reactions begin to proceed readily. Impurities in the sugar, such as the molasses remaining in brown sugar, greatly speed the reactions.

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Caramelization temperaturesHarold McGee. "On Food and Cooking", 2nd Edition (2004), Scribner, New York, NY. "Sugar, Chocolate and Confectionery", Page 656.

Sugar

! Temperature

Fructose

| {{convert|105|C}}

Galactose

| {{convert|160|C}}

Glucose

| {{convert|150|C}}

Sucrose

| {{convert|170|C}}

Maltose

| {{convert|180|C|sigfig=2}}

Caramelization reactions are also sensitive to the chemical environment,{{cite news|title=Caramelization: new science, new possibilities|author=McGee, Harold.|url=https://www.curiouscook.com/site/2012/09/caramelization-new-science-new-possibilities.html|access-date=10 May 2019|archive-date=October 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028135844/https://www.curiouscook.com/site/2012/09/caramelization-new-science-new-possibilities.html|url-status=live}} and the reaction rate, or temperature at which reactions occur most readily, can be altered by controlling the level of acidity (pH). The rate of caramelization is generally lowest at near-neutral acidity (pH around 7), and accelerated under both acidic (especially pH below 3) and basic (especially pH above 9) conditions.{{cite book |title= Food biochemistry and food processing |editor1=Hui, Y. H. |editor2=Nip, W-.K. |editor3=Nollet. L. M. L. |editor4=Paliyath, G. |editor5=Simpson, B. K. |publisher= Wiley-Blackwell |year= 2006 |isbn= 978-0-8138-0378-4 |chapter= 4. Browning Reactions |author= Villamiel, M. |author2= del Castillo, M. D. |author3= Corzo, N. |pages= 83–85 }}

Uses in food

{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}

Caramelization is used to produce several foods, including:

  • Caramel sauce, a sauce made with caramel
  • Confiture de lait and dulce de leche, caramelized, sweetened milk
  • Caramel candies
  • Crème caramel, and the similar crème brûlée, a custard dish topped with sugar caramelized with a blowtorch
  • Caramelized onions, which are used in dishes like French onion soup. Onions require 30 to 45 minutes of cooking to caramelize.Scocca, Tom. [http://www.slate.com/articles/life/scocca/2012/05/how_to_cook_onions_why_recipe_writers_lie_and_lie_about_how_long_they_take_to_caramelize_.single.html Layers of Deceit: Why do recipe writers lie and lie and lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001042832/http://www.slate.com/articles/life/scocca/2012/05/how_to_cook_onions_why_recipe_writers_lie_and_lie_about_how_long_they_take_to_caramelize_.single.html |date=October 1, 2018 }} Slate.com, May 2, 2012.{{cite web |url=https://www.smith.edu/diningservices/recipes/onion-soup.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502213016/http://www.smith.edu/diningservices/recipes/onion-soup.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-05-02 |title=French Onion Soup |author=Child, Julia |access-date=2017-03-08 }}
  • Caramelized potatoes
  • Caramelized pears{{Cite news|url=https://www.stemilt.com/stem-blog/caramelizing-pears-tips/|title=Caramelizing Pears|date=2016-10-10|first=Jennifer|last=Farley|newspaper=Stemilt|language=en-US|access-date=2016-10-27|archive-date=February 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214233407/https://www.stemilt.com/stem-blog/caramelizing-pears-tips/|url-status=live}}
  • Cola, of which some brands use caramelized sugar in small amounts for color
  • Latik, a sweet syrup made of sugar and coconut milk which is used in several Filipino desserts.
  • Dodol, a type of toffee made with cane sugar, rice flour, and coconut milk originating from Indonesia.

See also

{{Portal|Food}}

References

{{reflist|30em}}

External links

{{commonscat}}

{{Wiktionary}}

{{Cooking Techniques}}

Category:Cooking techniques

Category:Culinary terminology

de:Karamellisieren