Known for its characteristically smooth and chewy texture, caramel
is one of the most popular and beloved candies. However, even caramel’s biggest
fans are not willing to risk dental work for sticky caramel. If creating an
unhappy customer isn’t enough, caramel that is too sticky can also lead to
difficulties during the manufacturing process, thus creating a very sticky
situation.
Below we’ve identified the
top seven common causes for sticky caramels and possible solutions, presented at RCI's Caramels, Toffees & Brittles course.
- Not
enough fat – Increase the percentage of
fat and/or the amount of milk being used in the recipe. A minimum of 8%
fat is recommended when making caramels.
- Excessive
inversion – Inversion occurs when sucrose
(a disaccharide) is broken down into glucose and fructose. This can be
caused by extended cooking times (especially under acidic conditions) and
the use of the enzyme invertase. Increasing reducing sugars will add to
the flavor and color of caramel – but too much can cause excessive
stickiness.
Check the pH of premix, water and other
ingredients, including scrap, to identify excessive inversion as the problem. Caramel
premix should have a neutral pH (6.8-7.0).
Two
possible solutions for adjusting pH levels:
a)
Add low-pH flavors at
the end of cook sequence or use buffered flavors.
b)
Increase premix pH with
the addition of basic salts, such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate (both
considered natural and should be approximately 0.1% of batch)
- Not
enough milk – A minimum of 3.7% milk
protein solids or higher is recommended
- Low
cooking temperature –
Increasing the final cooking temperature slightly will produce caramel
with a harder texture. Even one or two degrees can make a significant difference.
Additionally, do not allow the moisture from the cooking process to drain
back into the kettle.
- Too
much corn syrup – Too much corn syrup can
create a tender caramel, but also lead to stickiness and lack of body. Adjust
the ratio of sugar to corn syrup (reduce the corn syrup or dextrose
equivalent of corn syrup)
- Too much humidity
– An overly humid environment can make
caramel sticky and create a less than desirable layer of scum on its surface. Too avoid
exposure to excessive humidity, pack and store cooked caramel away from
steam kettles and in an area with a relative humidity of 40-50%.
- Lack
of emulsifiers – The addition of mono and
diglycerides (generally 1-1.25%) will produce caramel that is less sticky.
Great caramel doesn’t happen by accident. With all the factors
that play into the science of making caramel, even one or two degrees, for
example, can mean the difference between coveted caramels and a sticky mess.
Make your customers stick, but not your caramels! Registration for
RCI’s Caramels, Toffees & Brittles course opens tomorrow, February 15. This
three-day intensive course is designed to help candy makers (RCI members and
non-members) understand the science behind recipe formulations and learn
troubleshooting techniques for caramels, toffees and brittles. Participants
will gain hands-on experience in the kitchen making variations of these coveted confections for several different applications.
Visit retailconfectioners.org/caramels
for more information and to register for the course, starting February 15. Note: This course is
limited to the first 24 registrants and is expected to sell out quickly.
