Caramelization
Hey kiddo! Do you like sweet treats like caramel candies, toffees or crispy cookies? Well, what if I told you that the sweet taste in these treats comes from a special process called caramelization. It's like magic that happens when sugar heats up!
So, let's say you have a pot of sugar on the stove, and you start heating it up slowly. As the temperature increases, the sugar crystals start to break down and melt until they become a thick, syrupy liquid. This is what we call melted or liquid sugar.
But that's not all, as we keep heating up the sugar, something amazing happens. The heat causes a chemical reaction in which the sugar molecules start to rearrange themselves and join together to form bigger, more complex molecules. This reaction is called caramelization, and it's what gives the sugar that rich, golden-brown color and nutty, toasty flavor.
But, here's the fun part, kiddo, this process doesn't stop at just flavor and color, it also affects the texture of the sugar. As the sugar molecules continue to join together, they start to solidify and harden, creating that signature crunch in candies, brittles or crème brûlée.
So, next time you bite into a caramel candy or toffee, you'll know that it's the result of this special process called caramelization where heat transforms sugar into a delicious treat that we all love!
So, let's say you have a pot of sugar on the stove, and you start heating it up slowly. As the temperature increases, the sugar crystals start to break down and melt until they become a thick, syrupy liquid. This is what we call melted or liquid sugar.
But that's not all, as we keep heating up the sugar, something amazing happens. The heat causes a chemical reaction in which the sugar molecules start to rearrange themselves and join together to form bigger, more complex molecules. This reaction is called caramelization, and it's what gives the sugar that rich, golden-brown color and nutty, toasty flavor.
But, here's the fun part, kiddo, this process doesn't stop at just flavor and color, it also affects the texture of the sugar. As the sugar molecules continue to join together, they start to solidify and harden, creating that signature crunch in candies, brittles or crème brûlée.
So, next time you bite into a caramel candy or toffee, you'll know that it's the result of this special process called caramelization where heat transforms sugar into a delicious treat that we all love!