What is Caramelisation?
Caramelisation is the oxidaton of sugar in the presence of heat. Or simply defining, the oxidation of sugar means when the oxygen atoms and the sugar molecules contact with each other, one or two electrons are lost, causing them to stick together and not be able to separate.
Caramelisation occurs during dry heating and roasting of foods with a high concentration of carbohydrates (sugar)
The Caramelisation reaction depends on the type of sugar. This includes sucrose, fructose and glucose. Sucrose and glucose caramelize at around 160 degrees celsius, while fructose caramelizes at around 110 degrees celsius.
As the sugar melts and approaches the appropriate temperature, the molecules break down into volatile compounds that gives the characteristic caramel aroma, brown-colored products and its nutty flavor.
As this chemical process has no enzymes involved, it is a non-enzymatic browning reaction.
The final product of caramelized sugar should have a nice brown color with a smooth, syrup-like texture when it is hot and a when it has cooled down, it should be like toffee.
A lot of people have misunderstood the term 'caramelized sugar'. Caramelized sugar is not an additive, but simply a normal food ingredient and has nothing to do with the four caramel colors.
Types of food applied to this chemical reaction include:
Caramelisation occurs during dry heating and roasting of foods with a high concentration of carbohydrates (sugar)
The Caramelisation reaction depends on the type of sugar. This includes sucrose, fructose and glucose. Sucrose and glucose caramelize at around 160 degrees celsius, while fructose caramelizes at around 110 degrees celsius.
As the sugar melts and approaches the appropriate temperature, the molecules break down into volatile compounds that gives the characteristic caramel aroma, brown-colored products and its nutty flavor.
As this chemical process has no enzymes involved, it is a non-enzymatic browning reaction.
The final product of caramelized sugar should have a nice brown color with a smooth, syrup-like texture when it is hot and a when it has cooled down, it should be like toffee.
A lot of people have misunderstood the term 'caramelized sugar'. Caramelized sugar is not an additive, but simply a normal food ingredient and has nothing to do with the four caramel colors.
Types of food applied to this chemical reaction include:
- Toffee
- Caramelized vegetables
- Caramelized baked chicken
- French toast
Why is it important?
Caramelisation is one of the most important browning processes in food as it produces a number food that is enjoyed by people everyday such as bakery goods, beverage and peanuts. Without these important chemical reactions to create varieties of food, famous cuisines around the world would not have been experienced and we would not have as much knowledge of oxidation and its way of functioning.
Physical Changes
Physical changes:
- Develops a brown color, however, depends how dark or light determined on how long the sugar has been caramelized.
- A sticky, syrup-like texture when it is warm.
- Has a nutty or a toasty flavor.
Chemical Changes
Chemical changes:
- oxygen atom interacts with the sugar molecule causing the loss of one or two electrons.
- The loss of electrons cause the molecules and atoms to stick together and lose its control to separate from each other.
- Molecules break down from the extreme heat applied to it and releases volatile compounds to process and result in change of flavor and color.
Cooking Caramelized food
Cinnamon Scrolls
Servings for two people
Ingredients (dough):
Servings for two people
Ingredients (dough):
- 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
- 30g chilled butter cut into cubes
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup milk
Ingredients (fillings):
Equipments:
Method (Filling):
Method (dough):
- 100g butter softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Equipments:
- 1 large pastry board
- 1 large glass bowl
- 2-3 small glass bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 rolling pin
- 1 dinner knife
- 1 plastic spatula
- 1 steel plate
- 1 flour dredge
- 1 oven tray or 2 round cake tins
- Glad bake or greasing.
Method (Filling):
- Cream the butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in cinnamon until well combined
Method (dough):
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
- Rub the butter with your hands into the sifted flour by crumbling the butter and pushing the flour into it, until the butter is fairly mixed in with the flour.
- Then whisk the egg and milk together then add most of it to the flour mixture.
- Mix with a butter knife to a soft dough adding the remaining egg and milk if needed. (Liquid required for flour mixture can vary)
- Lightly knead dough on a floured board (do not overwork) then roll out onto a rectangle about 6mm thick.
- Spread the filling over the dough and roll up along the long edge.
- Slice into 2cm wide pieces using a sharp knife.
- Arrange slices into a greased round cake tin or into a ring or slices on a greased/paper lined baking slide.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until ring sounds hollow when tapped.
- Stand for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool
What was the ingredient that was caramelized?
In this recipe, you can clearly see that the brown sugar was caramelized during the time that it was in the oven,
and the cinnamon is just to bring out its aroma and taste.
In this recipe, you can clearly see that the brown sugar was caramelized during the time that it was in the oven,
and the cinnamon is just to bring out its aroma and taste.