Sucre Cuit — Cooked Sugar Stages (Thread to Caramel)

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Sucre cuit encompasses the progressive stages of sugar syrup concentration, from thread (100°C) through caramel (170–190°C), each stage defined by water content, viscosity, and resultant texture upon cooling. A solution of sucrose and water — typically 3:1 sugar to water by weight — is brought to the boil with a small addition of glucose syrup (10–15% of sugar weight) or a few drops of lemon juice to promote partial inversion, inhibiting recrystallisation. The classical French stages are: petit filé (thread, 100–106°C, 80% sugar), used for syrups and sorbets; grand filé (large thread, 106–110°C); petit perlé (small pearl, 110–112°C); grand perlé (large pearl, 113°C); petit soufflé (blow, 115°C); grand soufflé (large blow, 117°C); petit boulé (soft ball, 118–120°C) for fondant and fudge; grand boulé (hard ball, 121–130°C) for caramels and nougat; petit cassé (soft crack, 132–143°C) for toffee; grand cassé (hard crack, 149–154°C) for barley sugar and spun sugar; and caramel (160–190°C). Above 160°C, sucrose undergoes pyrolysis — thermal decomposition generating hundreds of flavour compounds including diacetyl, maltol, and furanones. Copper pans are traditional because their superior thermal conductivity provides even heat distribution and rapid response to temperature adjustments. The sugar must not be stirred once boiling begins; agitation introduces nucleation sites prompting crystallisation. Instead, wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to dissolve any stray crystals. A sugar thermometer calibrated in the local atmospheric pressure is non-negotiable — at altitude, subtract approximately 1°C per 300 metres of elevation. Humidity above 60% makes high-stage sugar work nearly impossible, as hygroscopic sugar absorbs atmospheric moisture and loses its set.

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