Caramel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Caramel is partially burned sugar which has a brown color and a pleasant toasted flavor. Caramel is used to flavor candy and soft drinks such as Coca Cola. It is also commonly used as a food coloring (with the E number E150).

Caramel can be made from sugar by heating it slowly to a temperature of 170 degrees Celsius. As the sugar melts and approaches this temperature, the molecules break down into other volatile compounds that give it the characteristic caramel color and flavors. This process is called caramelization.

The word caramel also describes a soft, chewy caramel-flavored candy made by boiling milk and sugar together. Its colour and flavour are due not to caramelization, but to the Maillard Reaction, which occurs between an amino acid and a reducing sugar.

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