Sugar + water = caramel

from my garden

Some things are so incredibly simple and so simply incredible.  The flower above from my garden is one of those things.  Petals, colors, an elegant shape .... it's simplicity is deceptive.

I love making vanilla crème caramel.  It is deceptive in its simplicity as well, and so visually incredible when it is served.  The rich custard which is primarily egg and cream and sugar is topped with a layer of relatively thin caramel syrup that is just a bit bittersweet, a wonderful contrast.  But what I find amazing is how simple the caramel syrup is:  just two ingredients is all you need -- water and sugar.  With just these two ingredients cooked on the stove top for just a short bit, you get something that tastes amazing.

Sugar is placed into a saucepan, and a small amount of water is poured over it.  Then it is heated until boiling and left untouched while it cooks away.  The syrup initially is clear, just sugar water.  But as it heats, it starts to cloud just a bit as it boils and foams, and then as it get hotter and more time passes it begins to turn darker, eventually a rich amber color.  At this point, it is poured into ramekins.

caramel syrup in ramkins

The process is so easy to do yet so amazing.  As the water and sugar solution heats, it goes through the various candy stages:  thread, soft-ball, firm-ball, hard-ball, soft-crack, hard-crack.  Each of these stages in succession has less and less water.  Finally at 320 degrees the water is gone and the sugar is liquefied and turning a light amber.  At 338, the syrup is now darker as the sugar is caramelizing.  The sugar is breaking down and many different compounds are forming which contribute to a complex rich flavor.  But if it goes just a bit more, to 350, it is too hot and the syrup becomes bitter and burnt.

Once the syrup is poured into ramekins.  It immediately cools and hardens.  Then custard which has been cooked on the stove top is poured into the ramekins and they are placed in a pan surrounded by hot water and covered with foil.  They cook this way in the oven for about an hour.  As it cooks the caramel liquefies under the custard.

When the ramekins come out, they have to cool, and sit in the fridge for several hours.  Finally, they are ready to serve.  A thin narrow knife is inserted into the ramekin, pressed against the side and taken around the entire edge of the custard.  This loosens it just a bit from the ramekin.  Place a serving plate over the ramekin, turn the whole thing over, and just tap the ramekin a bit on the plate.  It might take a bit of coaxing, but the entire custard comes out onto the plate, gently and holding it's shape, and on top is a beautiful amber layer of thin caramel syrup which pours over the sides and onto the plate.

This dessert is incredible.  The custard is silky smooth and rich.  The caramel syrup is complex.  I love to give these away to people.  I have to give them away or I would eat them all myself in a very short time.  I know that for sure because I've done it, and not felt guilty about it one bit, not one bit.

They are too alluring and too amazing to be left sitting in the fridge. I simply can't resist them.