Caramel
From Free net encyclopedia
Caramel is a food which has an orange-brown colour and a sweet toasted flavour, derived from the caramelization of sugar. Caramel is used to flavour candy, as well as soft drinks such as Coca-Cola. It is also commonly used as a food colouring (with the E number E150).
Caramel can be made from sugar by heating it slowly to around 170°C/340°F. (The particular temperature depends on the sugar. See caramelization). As the sugar melts and approaches this temperature, the molecules break down into other volatile compounds that give it the characteristic caramel colour and flavours.
Various candies, confections, and desserts are made with caramel: barley sugar; caramel and nuts: praline, nougat, brittle; caramel and custard: crème caramel, crème brûlée.
Caramel candy
The word caramel also describes a soft, chewy, caramel-flavoured candy made by boiling milk and sugar together. Its colour and flavour are due not to caramelization, but to the Stecker degradation or the Maillard reaction, which occurs between an amino acid and a reducing sugar.
There is a great debate on how to pronounce the word "caramel" with ads and other things making jests at it. It can be pronounced car-a-mell or car-mill, either way valid.
See also
- Toffee, very similar to caramel candy
- Carambar, a brand of caramel candy bar
- Caramel, a concept representation markup language system for generic programmingde:Karamell
eo:Karamelo fr:Caramel he:קרמל nl:Karamel ja:キャラメル pl:Karmel