Making Dry-Method Caramel
Caramel is sugar melted until it liquefies and turns a deep amber. Use a dry pot, medium heat, and resist the urge to stir; simply swirl the pan to incorporate the sugar until it reaches a dark, maple-syrup color.
Watch the color, not the clock.
Caramel moves from mahogany to burnt charcoal in seconds. Stay at the stove the entire time.
- Heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan
- Heat-proof silicone spatula
- Pastry brush
What goes in.
- 1 cupGranulated white sugar
Swirl, don't stir
If you use a spoon early, the sugar will clump into crystals. Keep the spatula away until the sugar is almost entirely liquid.
The method.
Prepare the pan
Spread the sugar in an even layer across the bottom of the dry, cold saucepan.
Apply heat
Set the burner to medium-low. Wait for the edges of the sugar to liquify and turn clear.
Manage the transition
Once the edges melt, gently swirl the pan to bring the dry sugar into the molten liquid. Use a wet pastry brush to wipe down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan so they don't cause crystallization.
Deepen the color
Continue heating and swirling until the sugar is a uniform, deep amber color, resembling the shade of an old penny.
Remove from heat
Immediately pour the caramel onto a silicone mat or into your prepared dish; the residual heat of the pan will continue to darken it even after you pull it from the flame.
Other turns to take.
Salted Caramel
Once the sugar reaches the amber stage, carefully stir in a tablespoon of cold butter and a splash of heavy cream, then finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a stainless steel pot so you can see the color change; dark-colored non-stick pans hide the true color of the sugar.
If the sugar starts to smoke, you have passed the point of no return; start over, as burnt sugar cannot be saved.
Keep children and pets out of the kitchen; molten sugar causes severe burns upon contact.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my caramel get hard and lumpy?
You stirred too early or had sugar crystals stuck to the side of the pan that fell back into the melt. Always keep the sides clean with a wet brush.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe