To Boil Sugar to Caramel

The Book of Household Management · Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary) · 1861
Source
The Book of Household Management
Status
success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (3)
for ornament
Instructions (8)
  1. Boil the sugar and water together very quickly over a clear fire, skimming it very carefully as soon as it boils.
  2. Keep it boiling until the sugar snaps when a little of it is dropped in a pan of cold water.
  3. If it remains hard, the sugar has attained the right degree; then squeeze in a little lemon-juice, and let it remain an instant on the fire.
  4. Set the pan into another of cold water, and the caramel is then ready for use.
  5. The insides of well-oiled moulds are often ornamented with this sugar, which with a fork should be spread over them in fine threads or network.
  6. A dish of light pastry, tastefully arranged, looks very prettily with this sugar spun lightly over it.
  7. The sugar must be carefully watched, and taken up the instant it is done.
  8. Unless the cook is very experienced and thoroughly understands her business, it is scarcely worth while to attempt to make this elaborate ornament, as it may be purchased quite as economically at a confectioner's, if the failures in the preparation are taken into consideration.
Original Text
TO BOIL SUGAR TO CARAMEL. 1514. INGREDIENTS.—To every lb. of lump sugar allow 1 gill of spring water. Mode.—Boil the sugar and water together very quickly over a clear fire, skimming it very carefully as soon as it boils. Keep it boiling until the sugar snaps when a little of it is dropped in a pan of cold water. If it remains hard, the sugar has attained the right degree; then squeeze in a little lemon-juice, and let it remain an instant on the fire. Set the pan into another of cold water, and the caramel is then ready for use. The insides of well-oiled moulds are often ornamented with this sugar, which with a fork should be spread over them in fine threads or network. A dish of light pastry, tastefully arranged, looks very prettily with this sugar spun lightly over it. The sugar must be carefully watched, and taken up the instant it is done. Unless the cook is very experienced and thoroughly understands her business, it is scarcely worth while to attempt to make this elaborate ornament, as it may be purchased quite as economically at a confectioner's, if the failures in the preparation are taken into consideration.
Notes
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