What are the different types of caramel. How is caramel made. What are popular caramel-based confections. How does caramel differ from butterscotch and toffee. What are the culinary applications of caramel.

The Science and Art of Caramelization

Caramel, a beloved confection cherished worldwide, is the result of a fascinating chemical process known as caramelization. This transformation occurs when sugar is heated to temperatures between 320 and 340 degrees Fahrenheit (160-171 degrees Celsius). As the sugar molecules break down under intense heat, they form new compounds, resulting in the characteristic golden-brown color and rich, complex flavor that we associate with caramel.

The caramelization process is both a science and an art. The precise temperature and duration of heating can significantly influence the final product’s color, flavor, and texture. Skilled confectioners can manipulate these variables to create a wide range of caramel varieties, from light and delicate to dark and robust.

The Chemistry Behind Caramel’s Allure

What gives caramel its irresistible appeal? The answer lies in the complex chemical reactions that occur during caramelization. As sugar molecules break down, they form hundreds of new compounds, including:

• Diacetyl: Responsible for the buttery flavor
• Maltol: Contributes to the toasty, sweet aroma
• Furans: Add depth and complexity to the flavor profile
• Melanoidins: Provide the characteristic brown color

This intricate blend of compounds creates a flavor profile that is simultaneously sweet, bitter, and umami, making caramel a versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory culinary applications.

Distinguishing Caramel from Its Sweet Cousins

While caramel is often confused with similar confections like butterscotch and toffee, there are distinct differences between these sweet treats. Understanding these nuances can help appreciate the unique characteristics of each:

Caramel vs. Butterscotch

How does butterscotch differ from caramel? The key distinction lies in the ingredients and cooking process:

• Caramel: Made primarily from white sugar
• Butterscotch: Uses brown sugar and a higher proportion of butter

The result is that butterscotch has a richer, more buttery flavor profile compared to the pure sweetness of caramel.

Caramel vs. Toffee

Toffee, while similar to caramel, has its own unique characteristics:

• Cooking temperature: Toffee is typically cooked to a higher temperature than caramel
• Texture: Toffee is harder and more brittle than caramel
• Sugar type: Toffee is often made with brown sugar, giving it a distinct flavor

These differences result in toffee’s characteristic crunch and deeper, more complex flavor compared to caramel.

A Rainbow of Caramel Varieties

The world of caramel is vast and varied, with numerous types and applications. Here’s an exploration of some popular caramel varieties:

Hard Caramels

Hard caramels are a classic confection that slowly melts in the mouth, releasing a buttery sweetness. Some varieties feature additional ingredients at the center, such as chocolate liquor or creamy caramel, adding an extra layer of indulgence.

Chewy Caramels

Chewy caramels offer a satisfying texture and rich flavor. Typically made with heavy cream, butter, salt, sugar, corn syrup, water, and vanilla extract, these treats can be further enhanced with toppings like sea salt for an extra flavor dimension.

Caramel Creme

An old-fashioned favorite, caramel cremes feature a chewy caramel exterior with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth cream center. This combination of textures and the added sweetness of the cream filling make these candies particularly irresistible.

Sea Salt Caramels

The combination of sea salt and caramel has become increasingly popular in recent years. The salt intensifies the caramel’s sweetness while providing a pleasant contrast. Many sea salt caramels also incorporate a layer of milk or dark chocolate for added decadence.

Culinary Applications of Caramel

Caramel’s versatility extends far beyond standalone candies. Its rich flavor and variable consistency make it a valuable ingredient in a wide range of culinary applications:

Caramel Sauce

A staple in many desserts, caramel sauce is perfect for drizzling over ice cream, cakes, and other sweet treats. It’s typically made by heating sugar, water, butter, and heavy cream to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. A pinch of salt can be added to enhance the flavor profile.

Caramel in Baked Goods

Caramel plays a starring role in many beloved baked goods:

• Caramel apple pie
• Salted caramel brownies
• Caramel pecan sticky buns
• Caramel-filled chocolates

In these applications, caramel adds depth of flavor and a luxurious texture that elevates the overall dessert experience.

Caramel in Savory Dishes

While primarily associated with sweets, caramel can also enhance savory dishes:

• Caramelized onions for depth in soups and stews
• Caramel-glazed meats, such as caramel pork or chicken
• Caramel in sauces for Asian-inspired dishes

In these contexts, caramel adds a subtle sweetness that balances and complements savory flavors.

Innovative Caramel Confections

The world of caramel continues to evolve, with confectioners and food scientists pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with this versatile ingredient. Here are some innovative caramel-based treats:

Pralines

A southern staple, pralines combine nuts (usually pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts) with caramel to create a unique fudge-like texture. The contrast between the smooth caramel and crunchy nuts makes for a delightful sensory experience.

Caramel Nougats

Caramel nougats blend smooth caramel, chewy nougat, and rich milk chocolate. This combination forms the basis for many popular candy bars, including SNICKERS® and MILKY WAY®.

Turtles

Named for their distinctive shape, turtles combine pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate. This trio of flavors and textures – crunchy pecans, chewy caramel, and smooth chocolate – creates a truly indulgent treat.

Caramel Candy Corn

A twist on the traditional Halloween candy, caramel candy corn infuses the classic tri-color treat with rich caramel flavor. This variation adds depth to the typically one-note sweetness of regular candy corn.

The Art of Caramel Making at Home

While commercial caramel products are widely available, making caramel at home can be a rewarding experience for culinary enthusiasts. Here’s a basic guide to creating your own caramel:

Dry Caramel Method

1. Heat sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat
2. Swirl the pan gently as the sugar melts and caramelizes
3. Remove from heat when the desired color is achieved
4. Immediately add butter and cream (be cautious of splattering)
5. Stir until smooth and add any additional flavorings

Wet Caramel Method

1. Combine sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed pan
2. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves
3. Allow mixture to boil without stirring until it caramelizes
4. Remove from heat when desired color is achieved
5. Add butter and cream, stirring until smooth

Both methods require careful attention to temperature and timing to achieve the perfect caramel. With practice, home cooks can create a variety of caramel-based treats in their own kitchens.

Health Considerations and Caramel Alternatives

While delicious, traditional caramel is high in sugar and calories. For those seeking healthier alternatives, there are several options to explore:

Date Caramel

Made from blended dates, this natural alternative provides a similar sweetness and texture to traditional caramel, with the added benefit of fiber and nutrients from the fruit.

Sugar-Free Caramel

Using sugar substitutes like erythritol or allulose, it’s possible to create low-carb caramel sauces that mimic the flavor and texture of the real thing.

Vegan Caramel

For those avoiding dairy, vegan caramel can be made using coconut milk or other plant-based alternatives in place of cream and butter.

While these alternatives may not perfectly replicate the taste and texture of traditional caramel, they offer satisfying options for those with dietary restrictions or health concerns.

The Global Appeal of Caramel

Caramel’s popularity extends far beyond Western confectionery. Many cultures around the world have their own unique takes on caramel-like sweets:

Dulce de Leche

Popular in Latin America, dulce de leche is made by slowly heating sweetened milk until it caramelizes. The result is a thick, creamy spread with a distinctive caramel flavor.

Caramel au Beurre Salé

This French specialty, literally “salted butter caramel,” originates from Brittany. It combines the rich flavor of caramel with the subtle tang of salted butter, creating a sophisticated treat.

Dodol

A traditional confection in Indonesia and Malaysia, dodol is a toffee-like sweet made from coconut milk, jaggery (palm sugar), and rice flour. While not technically a caramel, it shares similar flavor profiles and cooking techniques.

These global variations demonstrate the universal appeal of caramelized sweets and the diverse ways in which different cultures have adapted the basic concept of cooked sugar to create unique confections.

10 Types of Caramel Candies

Caramel is a type of candy created when sugar is heated to approximately 320 to 340 degrees Fahrenheit. As the sugar heats up, the molecules start to break down and form different compounds, a process known as caramelization. The resulting mixture features a rich flavor and golden brown color. The rich and delicious flavor of caramel adds silky smooth sweetness to dozens of our favorite treats. It’s a classic dessert that has countless applications.

What Is Caramel and What Isn’t?

Caramel can be mixed with cream and other ingredients to turn it into different consistencies, such as caramel sauce or chewy caramel candies. It can also be heated more or less, depending on the color and flavor you’re looking for. Light caramel has a light golden brown hue, while dark caramel features a dark amber color with a slightly more bitter taste than light caramel.

Various candies, confections, desserts, and beverages are made with caramel. Desserts such as flan and creme brûlée even contain a topping of caramel. It also acts as a binding agent in candies such as pralines and peanut brittle. Surprisingly, toffee and butterscotch are considered different types of candy altogether. Butterscotch contains too high of a percentage of butter, while toffee is made with brown sugar.

If you want to indulge in a delicious caramel treat, consider our Salted Caramel Cheesecake Platter made with TWIX® Cookie Bars. It comes with a variety of caramel treats, including caramel-covered cheesecakes topped with TWIX® Cookie Bars, strawberries topped with TWIX® Cookie Bar crumbles and white chocolate, apple wedges covered in TWIX® Cookie Bars, and banana bites covered in TWIX® Cookie Bars. Or, check out our Sea Salt Caramels, featuring a variety of milk and dark chocolate sea salt caramels topped with chardonnay and Mediterranean sea salt.

Top 10 Types of Caramel Candies

You’ll find hundreds of confections that feature this versatile candy. Here are just ten of the most delicious types of caramel candies:

1. Hard Caramels

Image by Paul Hurst, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Hard caramels melt smoothly in your mouth, leaving a buttery sweet taste that will satisfy your cravings. Some other types of hard caramels contain other sweet treats in the middle, such as creamy caramel, chocolate liquor, and so much more.

2. Chewy Caramels

Sweet, chewy, and delicious, chewy caramel candies feature a rich and buttery taste. Typically made with heavy cream, butter, salt, sugar, corn syrup, water, and vanilla extract, you can also top them with sea salt for extra indulgence.

3. Caramel Creme

Screenshot via goetzecandy.com

An old-fashioned classic, caramel cremes feature a decadent chewy caramel with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth cream in the center. Chewy but not sticky, the cream at the center of these caramels adds an extra touch of sweetness that makes them irresistible.

4. Sea Salt Caramels

The combination of sea salt and caramel intensifies the flavor of caramel, bringing out the contrasting tastes of sweet and salty. Some sea salt caramels also include a layer of milk or dark chocolate for extra decadence.

5. Caramel Sauce

Perfect for drizzling on ice cream or cakes, caramel sauce combines sugar, water, butter, heavy cream, and vanilla, all heated to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can even add a pinch of salt for an extra layer of flavor.

6. Pralines

A southern staple, pralines combine nuts (usually pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts) and caramel for the perfect sweet treat. They feature an unmistakable, fudge-like texture that contrasts nicely with the crunchiness of the nuts.

7. Caramel Nougats

Caramel nougats combine silky smooth caramel, chewy nougat, and rich milk chocolate for the ideal decadent treat. These delightful treats come in all shapes and sizes and include some of the most well-known candies of today, including SNICKERS®, MILKY WAY®, and many more.

8. Peanut Brittle

Peanut brittle combines crunchy peanuts with a thin, hard, smooth caramel layer. Typically, candy makers pour the liquefied candy onto a cookie sheet in a thin layer and then break it up into pieces once cooled.

9. Turtles

Made with pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate, turtles get their name from their shape, which resembles the aquatic animal. The perfect decadent treat, they perfectly combine crunchy pecans, chewy caramel, and creamy milk chocolate.

10. Caramel Candy Corn

Screenshot via Amazon.com

Caramel candy corn takes regular candy corn up a notch with a rich caramel flavor. Considered a mellow cream made from corn syrup and sugar, candy corn combines perfectly with the buttery caramel.

Caramel adds an unmistakable rich, smooth, sweet flavor to any confection. Try one of these delicious treats today if you’re craving some of that quintessential caramel taste.

Difference Between Caramel, Butterscotch, and Toffee

Toffee, caramel, and butterscotch are three classic desserts. From butterscotch sundaes to decadent English toffee, each features an irresistible combination of sugar and butter. Whether you operate an ice cream shop, bakery, candy store, or catering company, it’s important to understand the difference between butterscotch, toffee, and caramel. Keep reading below to learn more about each type and how to make them.

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Click below to read our different topics we cover:

• Toffee vs Caramel vs Butterscotch
• Sugar Temperatures Chart
• How to Make Caramel
• How to Make Butterscotch
• How to Make Toffee
• Tips for Candy Making

Toffee vs Caramel vs Butterscotch

Read below to understand their unique differences:

What Is Butterscotch?

Butterscotch is butter and brown sugar that has been slowly heated together to create a soft-crack candy. Just like caramel, the brown sugar molecules break down and, thanks to the addition of molasses in the sugar, caramelize into a richer, deeper flavor than classic caramel.

To create a sauce, topping, or candy, additional ingredients like vanilla, salt, and cream can be added once caramelization has occurred.

What Is Caramel?

Caramel is white granulated sugar that’s been heated slowly to 340 degrees Fahrenheit. This gradual heating process breaks down the sugar’s molecules and creates a deep golden brown color and rich flavor.

While caramelization can be achieved by simply heating sugar, other ingredients including butter, milk, and vanilla are often added afterward to produce a thick, creamier caramel used in sauces, drizzles, candies, and classic caramel apples.

When creating caramel, there are typically two different versions: wet caramel and dry caramel. Wet caramel refers to caramel that has been made by adding water to the sugar during the heating process. Adding water can help to distribute heat evenly across the mixture to prevent burning and crystallization. Dry caramel simply refers to sugar caramelized without water added.

Butterscotch vs Caramel

The difference between butterscotch and caramel is that caramel is made with white granulated sugar and cooked to 340 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas butterscotch is made with brown sugar and cooked to 289 degrees Fahrenheit. Both are often enhanced with additional ingredients to alter the texture, taste, or consistency depending on their intended purpose or the recipe used to make them.

What Is Toffee?

Toffee is butterscotch that has been cooked for a longer period of time. Toffee begins as a base of butter and brown sugar that is gradually cooked to the hard-crack sugar stage between 295 and 309 degrees Fahrenheit.

Toffee vs Butterscotch

While butterscotch is cooked to a soft-crack stage, toffee is produced by allowing that same butter and brown sugar mixture to reach the hard-crack stage. Butterscotch tends to be chewy and pliable; toffee is brittle and more breakable.

Toffee vs Caramel

The difference between toffee and caramel is that caramel is made with white granulated sugar and cooked to 340 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas toffee is made with butter and brown sugar and cooked to 295 – 309 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Sugar Stages Temperature Comparison

When sugar is boiled, the concentration of sugar molecules increases as water is evaporated. The longer sugar cooks, the higher the sugar concentration becomes. This sugar concentrate is what creates the varying stages of sugar.

The comparison list below outlines the most common sugar temperature stages needed to achieve each stage.

Thread

• Example of Candy: Syrup
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 230 to 234
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 80%

Soft Ball

• Example of Candy: Fudge
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 234 to 241
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 85%

Firm Ball

• Example of Candy: Soft Caramel
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 244 to 248
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 87%

Hard Ball

• Example of Candy: Gummies
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 250 to 266
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 92%

Soft Crack

• Example of Candy: Butterscotch
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 270 to 289
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 95%

Hard Crack

• Example of Candy: Toffee
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 295 to 309
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 99%

Light Brown

• Example of Candy: Flan or caramel cages for decorating
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 320
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 100%

Brown Liquid

• Example of Candy: Caramel
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 340
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 100%

Burnt

• Example of Candy: N/A
• Temperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit): 351
• Percentage of Sugar Concentrate: 100%

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How to Make Caramel

The trick to making caramel is to constantly stir the sugar while slowly and gradually heating the mixture. This keeps sugar crystals from burning instead of caramelizing.

There are many different varieties of caramel, but this recipe can be used to create a caramel sauce or drizzle that’s perfect for topping sundaes, cakes, and other desserts.

Caramel Recipe

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Cool Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Caramel Ingredients:

• 3 cups white sugar
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Pinch of salt, or 2 teaspoons of salt to make salted caramel

Caramel Directions:

1. Place sugar into a pan on medium heat.
2. Watch the sugar on edges of pot begin to turn to liquid.
3. Using a heat-resistant spatula or spoon, stir sugar every few seconds. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot for any bits that may start to stick.
4. Continue to stir as sugar clumps together in large lumps and begins transitioning into a golden-colored liquid.
5. Stir constantly until the clumps are gone and the sugar is now completely liquid.
6. Turn the heat off as you carefully add in the butter. Use a spoon or spatula if possible, as the butter will cause the caramel to bubble up when added.
7. Stir in butter for two minutes.
8. While stirring, carefully pour the cream into the mixture. Once fully combined, remove the pot from the stovetop and allow to cool.
9. Serve immediately or store in jars and refrigerate for future use.

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How to Make Butterscotch

Butterscotch’s main ingredients include butter and brown sugar, but the addition of some heavy cream and vanilla extract makes it perfect for topping sundaes and other sweet treats in your kitchen.

Butterscotch Recipe

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Cool Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Butterscotch Ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 Tablespoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt

Butterscotch Directions:

1. Using a heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Once butter has melted completely, add brown sugar and stir until sugar is completely coated.
3. Watch mixture closely and stir occasionally for three to five minutes. Be sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pot to prevent clumps from burning. The mixture should turn from grainy and lumpy to smooth and bubbly.
4. Using a whisk or rubber spatula, carefully pour in the heavy cream, lower the heat, and stir until cream has been completely mixed in.
5. Turn the heat back up to medium and continue to stir occasionally until the desired color and a thick, smooth consistency are reached, about 10 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool slightly.
7. Stir in vanilla extract and sea salt. If the butterscotch is cool enough, taste as you go, and add more vanilla and salt if needed.
8. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for later use.

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How to Make Toffee

To make toffee, follow the directions above to make butterscotch. In addition, you’ll want to use a candy thermometer to track when your butterscotch-to-toffee reaches the hard crack stage, which is around 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Toffee is often combined with nuts such as almonds and semi-sweet chocolate to create classic English toffee. This is done by spreading the hot toffee out flat over a sheet pan and topping it with semi-sweet chocolate chips. Allow the chips to melt for about 30 seconds and carefully use the back of a spoon to spread the chocolate over the entire top of the toffee. Top with chopped or slivered almonds. Allow the English toffee to cool for about 3 hours before breaking it into small pieces.

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Tips for Making Caramel, Butterscotch, and Toffee

While the three may differ in taste and texture, the methods used to cook them are similar. To produce decadent-tasting sugars, be sure to keep the following tips in mind:

• Never step away from the sugar when it’s cooking. It only takes a few seconds of neglect for sugar to burn.
• Do not try to touch or taste the sugar while it’s cooking, it will be extremely hot and sticky.
• Cook your mixture in a larger pot than you think is necessary because the sugar can produce large bubbles as it turns into a liquid or additional ingredients are added.
• Opt for a stainless steel pot to best handle the high temperatures. Some non-stick coatings may be affected by the hot sugars.
• When making caramel, wait to add ingredients such as cream and butter until after the caramelization process has occurred.
• Squeezing a small amount of lemon juice into your sugar while it’s cooking can help prevent crystallization.
• Keep ice water on hand in case you accidentally come into contact with the hot sugar.

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While some may think caramel, butterscotch, and toffee taste the same, any candy connoisseur knows each of these delectable sweets has its own unique flavor, texture, and consistency. And now that you know the difference, you can confidently create and serve customers the best sugar candy in your candy store.

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Rachel Jenkins

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types, composition, calorie content, benefits and harms for the body – JSC RAKHAT

CONTENT

• Types of caramel
• Composition
• Calorie content
• Benefit and the harm of caramel

Caramel is one of the most popular and affordable sweets. For the first time, such a delicious dessert became known in ancient Egypt and ancient China. Its feature was the possibility of preservation for a long time. Thanks to this, candies traveled to different countries following the trade caravans. Nowadays, children and adults are not averse to enjoying a delicious candy of a certain taste or with an unusual filling. In this material, we will dwell in detail on the features of the production of caramel, their varieties, composition, calorie content, benefits and harms. After reading the article to the end, you will learn a lot of useful information.

Types of caramel

Almost everyone mentally returns to a carefree childhood in colorful wrapping. There is nothing more pleasant than throwing a lollipop on the cheek, enjoying the pleasant taste of sweetness. In terms of variety, they are very different. In the middle of the 20th century, lollipops began to appear everywhere in shops, parks and fairs. One of the most famous of these candies is Chupa Chups. But caramel is in the greatest demand in Kazakhstan. Modern technological lines and recipes make it possible to produce lollipops and caramels of various shapes, flavors, and fillings. The assortment of the Rakhat factory includes a wide variety of caramel:

• glazed;
• candy;
• with fruit filling;
• with fondant fillings;
• oversalted with various fillings;
• with liqueur fillings;
• with milk fillings;
• with whipped fillings.

Composition

The composition of caramel depends on their taste and filling. In 100 g of the product, about 97 g are carbohydrates (the main part is sugar derivatives), fats are about 0.1 g, and there are practically no proteins. Fruity taste – nothing more than components based on fruit juices and syrups. The composition may contain a small amount of water. There are also flavor enhancers, preservatives (responsible for long-term preservation), fillers and thickeners.

Calories

On average, the calorie content of caramel is 350-390 kcal. That is why athletes always have several caramels with them, as well as people prone to nervous irritations and panic attacks. The sugar and energy dose is so high that candy helps nicotine addicts with the desire to smoke.

Benefits and harms of caramel

Caramel and lollipops are popular and convenient to take with you. They can quickly compensate for the fall in blood sugar. Everyone in this way can be temporarily distracted from the obsessive feeling of hunger. Some people use lozenges as an effective way to fight extra pounds. However, not all caramel is suitable for this purpose. It is important to pay attention to calories and not overdo it. It is necessary to select special sweets with a low content of sugar and additives.

The health benefits of caramel have been studied and proven. For people who are prone to motion sickness and motion sickness, sucking on a lollipop is an effective way to calm the body and tone up. Resorption of just one caramel can instantly improve mood – due to the simple sugars present in the composition, which contribute to the rapid release of serotonin into the blood. A small caramel candy is a source of energy. Just imagine: the calorie content and sugar content of a medium-sized caramel is enough to overcome a distance of 4-5 km by running. Some use lozenges to improve microflora and eliminate bad breath.

Caramel candy can be harmful if consumed in excess. The main negative impact of such sweetness, containing a large dose of sugar, has on the teeth. For this reason, young children with their fragile tooth enamel are not recommended to give a lot of lollipops. The same rule applies to older people. In addition to the oral cavity, sugar can negatively affect the body’s metabolism. Metabolic disorders can cause the gastrointestinal tract to malfunction, and certain flavorings/fillings can cause itching and an allergic reaction. Over time, or even immediately, skin and hair problems may appear. Do not lean on lollipops for people prone to obesity. The greatest danger from the abundant use of sweets is diabetes mellitus. Therefore, sweet tooth should periodically take a blood test.

If the caramel is absorbed in moderation, there will be no harm. You can prepare such delicacies on your own, but the easiest way is to buy by weight or in a package of caramel of your favorite taste. On our website you will find detailed information about Rakhat factory sweets. If you have any questions, please contact our managers.

SEE ALSO:

• Candy caramel: composition and calorie content, benefits and harms
• Interesting facts about caramel that you didn’t even know

types and applications

12/11/2018

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Someone is ready to just eat caramel with a spoon from a jar

It is hard to imagine that ten centuries ago there were no desserts that each of us has been familiar with since childhood. Only natural sweets, such as honey, were available to people. But it was not so easy to get it, since the domestication of bees did not happen immediately, and the extraction of wild honey was a difficult craft. Therefore, many peoples were looking for alternative options. In our article we will talk about caramel. One of the first to learn how to extract something like caramel in ancient India were representatives of the lower caste – the untouchables (dalits). It was obtained by roasting sugarcane stalks over a fire.

Researchers note that in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, barley sugar was extracted from barley groats. Caramel was then made from this sugar and water. There were similar delicacies in China, but in Asia, the received sweets were still rolled in fried sesame seeds.

An analogue of modern cane sugar was made in the Middle Ages. The process was not the easiest, so sugar cost a lot of money and was available only to the elite of that time. For the Middle Ages, it was a common situation when a person lived life without ever tasting anything sweet. To modern children, this can be told like a horror movie before bedtime.

The name caramel comes from the Latin word cannamella, which means “sugar cane”. The fact is that from about the 14th century, sugar from cane began to be used to create caramel. The technology is simple – in huge copper boilers, actively stirring, they heated water and sugar. When the mixture reached the desired temperature, it was poured into special molds, and then cut into pieces.

Modern molds for caramel lozenges

Where caramel is used

• Culinary purposes . Today this is the main application. Caramel itself is a great sweetness, but desserts are also decorated with it. For example, with the help of caramel, French confectioners created the Croquembush cake. Caramel is poured over pastries and toasts, pancakes and biscuits, added to tea or coffee.
• Medical purposes . At the end of the 19th century, the daughter of Lucy fell ill with the German pharmacist Karl Soldan. The child flatly refused to drink bitter mixtures and herbal infusions. The doctor had to go for a trick – add extracts from medicinal herbs to the boiling caramel syrup. Thanks to the healing sweets, Lucy got better. Shortly thereafter, Dr.C.Soldan’s lollipops became known throughout Germany.
• Candies on a stick . In many countries, they tried to sculpt unusual figures from warm, not yet frozen caramel. For example, lollipops in the form of a cockerel on a stick were a common delicacy at Russian fairs. In China, dragon figurines are similarly molded. Well, the most famous lollipops were invented by Spaniard Enrique Bernat, the creator of lollipops.
• Food supplement . Sweetness is used not only as an additive for confectionery, but also in the creation of carbonated drinks.

Caramel can be poured over pastries, and also eaten as an independent dessert

Types of caramel

According to domestic food standards, caramel is divided into candy and stuffed.