Caramel — Dry vs Wet Methods (Sugar Science)

Ingredients

• DRY METHOD
• 250 g caster sugar (or white granulated sugar)
• 60 ml heavy cream (cold)
• 50 g unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 g fine sea salt (Maldon or fleur de sel)
• WET METHOD
• 250 g caster sugar
• 60 ml water
• 60 ml heavy cream (cold)
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 1 g fine sea salt

Method

1. 1
   DRY METHOD:
2. 2
   Pour all 250 g sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan without stirring; place over medium heat.
3. 3
   Watch the sugar melt from the edges inward; once melted at the perimeter, gently tilt the pan to distribute heat evenly, reaching a deep amber color (160–170 °C / 320–338 °F).
4. 4
   Remove from heat and immediately add cold cream (caution: vigorous bubbling occurs); whisk until smooth.
5. 5
   Add butter and salt; whisk until fully incorporated, then pour onto parchment and cool to room temperature.
6. 6
   WET METHOD:
7. 7
   Combine 250 g sugar and 60 ml water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan; stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
8. 8
   Stop stirring; increase heat to medium-high and allow the mixture to bubble, watching for amber color (160–170 °C).
9. 9
   Remove from heat and add cold cream slowly; whisk until smooth, then add butter and salt.
10. 10
    Cool to room temperature on parchment.
11. 11
    Use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan — avoid non-stick, which degrades at caramelisation temperatures, and avoid copper without tin lining
12. 12
    A digital instant-read thermometer removes all guesswork — but also train your eye to read colour as a backup
13. 13
    For dry caramel without stirring, swirl the pan gently to redistribute liquid sugar while solids melt at edges
14. 14
    For salted caramel, add fleur de sel after emulsifying butter — salt added too early can inhibit caramelisation and affect colour
15. 15
    For spun sugar or pulled sugar work, add 10% glucose to the wet caramel to prevent crystallisation and extend workability