Sugar Sauce

[Anonymous No.16058515]

I am not a person who is very familiar with sugar. I have seen some episodes of cooking shows on sugar here and there, and I do not own a candy thermometer (or any thermometer). I have tried to make caramel sauce twice now, using this recipe:

https://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/424/Simple_Caramel_Sauce12192.shtml

The first time I stirred for what seemed like an hour and wasn't able to get it smooth. It came out slightly gritty, but otherwise fine.

The second time, I wanted to see how it would change if I used 1/2 brown sugar 1/2 white sugar. I was able to get it smooth, but I think I had the heat too high. It got to the point of being a soft boil, I think, regular bubbling here and there, and seemed to reach what I understand to be the "soft ball stage." when I tested it.
It cooled into a half crystalized, half "soft ball" mess, that is still pretty tasty but certainly not presentable.

Where did I fuck up? (I have a pretty good idea, but...)
Why did the first sauce come out gritty?
Can I save this by cooking it into brownies, or will it fuck up further?
Also,
Please share any good easy caramel sauce recipes that utilize condensed milk and brown sugar.
Please share sugar knowledge that you may have.
If you don't want to do any of the above, please post about caramel and sugar.

Thank you anons.

[Anonymous No.16058669]

those are some fluffy pancakes

[Anonymous No.16059051]

bunp

[Anonymous No.16059083]

You don't stir caramel...

[Anonymous No.16059131]

>>16059083
It's caramel sauce, not caramel. Does that make a difference? It's what the recipe says to do.

[Anonymous No.16059158]

>>16059131
Just learn to do it properly instead of using weird shortcuts.

[Anonymous No.16059177]

>>16058515
>The second time, I wanted to see how it would change
Why do morons do this? You fucked up so you think you're a better candy maker than whoever wrote the recipe you're following and surprise, you fucked up so much you have to ask this fast food board how to do it. Pig

[Anonymous No.16059183]

>>16059158
I didn't know I was using a weird shortcut. Did you read the OP? How do I do it properly?

[Anonymous No.16059203]

>>16059177
Woah there fella, I'm not that strawman.

>You fucked up
Probably, could you tell me how?
>Think you're a better candy maker
Didn't say that, and I specifically said "I wanted to see how it would change," not "I thought I could improve it."

I didn't get it right the first time, as I got a wee bit of grit, and I tried something different the second time out of curiosity, not as an attempt to fix the first. If you know about sugar and can tell me what went wrong the first time to produce grit, or have anything constructive than logical fallacies then I'm all ears. If not, thanks for the bump.

[Anonymous No.16059208]

>>16059183
by NOT STIRRING, you inept niggermonkey

[Anonymous No.16059216]

>>16059203
**anything constructive rather than logical fallacies
my mistake

>>16059208
The recipe says to stir. Are you saying to follow that exact same recipe without stirring, hence deviating? Could you provide a different recipe to follow?

[Anonymous No.16059249]

>>16059216
Cook sugar
Add cream
Wa la

[Anonymous No.16059270]

>>16059249
that is not nearly enough information to produce a consistent result. How long to cook the sugar? What quantities? At what heat setting on the stove? When do I add the cream? Do I stir after adding the cream? Can I use condensed milk instead?

I'm beginning to think that you don't know a lot about sugar either, anon, since you left out so much from your "recipe."

[Anonymous No.16059294]

>>16059270
>how long
Until it's done
>what quantities
Well how much sauce did you want?
>how hot
Entirely up to you
>When do you add the cream
When the sugar's done
>Stir after adding the cream
Of course
>Condensed milk
No

[Anonymous No.16059327]

>>16059294
How will I know when it's done?

[Anonymous No.16059337]

>>16059327
Somewhere between when the sugar fully melts and when it's too dark and bitter to reasonably eat

[Anonymous No.16059379]

>>16059337
Do I need to worry about the "soft ball" stage?

[Anonymous No.16059419]

>>16059379
I've no idea what a "soft ball stage" is.
You cook the sugar until it's as dark as you desire, then add cream and just reduce it briefly until you reach the thickness you want, bearing in mind the temperature. You can add salt, butter to adjust the fat content, and potentially flavorings once it's cooled somewhat. You never stir the sugar while it cooks because any grains that stick to the side of the pot won't melt fully and result in grit.

[Anonymous No.16059451]

>>16059419
>bearing in mind the temperature
don't want to get too hot because the cream might scald?

The soft ball stage as I understand it is a candy making thing, and precedes the hard crack stage. I guess it means that when it sets it is gummy, like taffy or something. I think that going too high in temp in my most recent attempt got it to that stage.

I've seen instances where people add some water with the sugar initially, is that advisable? Thank you for your continued replies and for holding my hand through this.

[Anonymous No.16059471]

>>16058515
To do a basic caramel sauce, you heat sugar at a medium or medium-high setting on your stovetop. Adding a splash of water to the sugar (only wetting it) will help the sugar melt uniformly. You want to take your time and try not to mix until the sugar is beginning turning yellow to orange at the bottom of the pot.

Reaching the softball stage is not relevant as you're cooking the sugar past that point anyway.

When the sugar is yellow to orange, add your cream (beware of splashing) and stir until the remaining sugar is dissolved. With your sugar cooked until yellow, it will be lightly caramelized and sweeter and orange/brown being more bitter with less sugar uncaramelized

[Anonymous No.16059485]

>>16059471
This is the exact kind of detail I enjoy, thank you kindly.

Does brown sugar behave differently than white sugar, or do their differences end with taste? I quite like the moleassesy flavour.

[Anonymous No.16059503]

>>16059485
Well, unfortunately, I don't know much about the molasses in brown sugar being good or bad in a caramel sauce. Try it with an without and see what feels good for you.

I only know that caramels mainly use regular granulated sugar and no other types. Good luck with your experiments.

[Anonymous No.16059535]

the soft-ball stage occurs after a few minutes at a full boil. if you were trying to follow the recipe you posted, you should have been nowhere near that point.

if you're going to be a faggot and use sweetened condensed milk to make "caramel sauce", just get dulce de leche instead.

[Anonymous No.16059572]

>>16059503
Thank you senpai, I'll do my best.

>>16059535
I would've made dulce de leche if it didn't take forever. I can't find it elsewhere in my country, and anyway making things is fun.

[Anonymous No.16059765]

>>16059572
>I would've made dulce de leche if it didn't take forever
Pressure cooker, submerge the can, bring up to pressure, wait 30 minutes, let it cool off COMPLETELY before opening, or the can might explode. Wa-la.

>Does brown sugar behave differently than white sugar
Yes, it burns more easily, but it doesn't need to caramelise to make a decent sauce. You'll get butterscotch instead of caramel, though:

300 g dark brown sugar
2 tbsp tracle
150 g butter
200 ml cream
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 tbsp rye whisky (optional)

Mix sugar, treacle and butter in a saucepan. Heat untill butter is melted. Add cream and heat untill bubbling. Add salt, vanilla extract and/or whisky.

[Anonymous No.16059804]

>>16059765
Don't have a pressure cooker.

Thank you for the recipe, I'll try that too.

Good thread everybody, many thanks to all. Please accept this image in gratitude.

[Anonymous No.16059834]

>>16059804
You an sous vide the cans of condensed milk instead of using a pressure cooker.

[Anonymous No.16060733]

>>16059834
or you could pour the condensed milk into a glass dish and roast it in the oven for an hour or 2.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/homemade-dulce-de-leche-395011