Julianne Marqua

Animas HS
05/23/2016

The Effects of Different Temperatures while Cooking Caramel

Abstract:
The purpose of this experiment was to find the ideal chewiness of caramel and
determine how temperature changes the chewiness. The caramel was heated to three
different temperatures, 240F, 260F, and 280F. Three batches of caramel were made
where the only difference in the batches was the independent variable; temperature the
caramel was heated to after the heavy cream and butter were added. In this lab we are
looking for is how the texture, color, and even taste are affected by different
temperatures. Based on the results it was found that as caramel increases in
temperature it becomes darker and firmer. The color change was due to the Maillard
Reaction and firmness was due to the evaporation of water, both of which occur with
temperature change. Overall the caramel preferred by most people was caramel sample
C, the softest sample that was heated to 240F, followed by sample A, the hardest
sample that was heated to 280F, and the least preferred caramel was sample B, heated
to 260F with a texture firmer than sample C and softer than sample A. The motivation of
this experiment was due to how much caramel we consume, and the demand for the
perfect caramel.
Introduction:
Whether you believe it originated from
Kara Melios, the Greek God of sugar
and water, or Milton Hershey, an
entrepreneur in the candy business,
caramel has long been a huge part of
the candy and food industry. It shows up
in our candy bars, it's dipped in
chocolate, left on its own, and is even
found on our fruit. These caramels
range from a liquid syrup or dipping
form, to tangible soft caramels, to toffee
like or sucker like candies. The reason
behind the range in firmness is due to
the temperature that it is heated at.
A couple things will change in your
caramel as the temperature changes.
One, a difference will occur in the
firmness of the caramel. This change is
due to the evaporation of water. When
making caramel you first mix water and
sugar and bring it to a boil. The boiling
temperature will only reach 212F
because that is the boiling point of
water, after this point water begins to

evaporate. As moisture is lost the sugar

becomes more concentrated and
thicker. The second part of making
caramels includes adding your
condensed milk and your fat. The
condensed milk affects the caramels by
preventing the caramel from becoming
too hard after all the moisture has
escaped. Similar to the water, the longer
and hotter you cook the sugar-milk
mixture the more moisture will escape
and the harder your caramels will
become. The fat, usually butter, affects
the firmness of the caramels because
that is what gives caramel its elasticity.
The second Change that will occur in
your caramels as the temperature
changes is the color of the caramel and
this is due to the Maillard Reaction. The
Maillard Reaction happens when the
aldehyde group of the sugar molecule
reacts with nitrogen part of the protein
molecule. This leads to the brown color.
The Maillard Reaction denatures the
sugar and protein molecules and usually

occurs around 280F, so as you cook it

longer the more your caramel will
change in both color and flavor.
Caramelization will also change the
color in a sugar, however, that is
different from the Maillard Reaction and
is not what is occurring during the
caramel making process.
Caramelization is when pure sugar is
heated to 338F. At 338F the sugar
compounds break down and new ones
form. During caramelization the sugar
will melt and begin to turn brown and
eventually harden. So as both the
Maillard Reaction and caramelization
are responsible for the color change in
sugar, the Maillard Reaction is the one
taking place in making caramels.
This experiment focused on what
changes took place to the caramels at
three different temperatures: 240F,
260F, and 280F. Focusing mainly on
the effects it had on its chewiness or
firmness, the coloring of the caramels,
and overall taste and sensation. It was
expected that the hotter the temperature
the tougher the caramel would be, due
to the evaporation and loss of moisture
(see Firmness Stages of Candy Based
on Temperature). Of all the ways we
use caramel there is obviously a
demand for the ideal caramel thus
resulting in the motivation behind
conducting this lab. To find perfect most
delectable caramel to sink your teeth
into and find at which temperature
created the ideal chewiness.
Firmness Stages of Candy Based on
Temperature:

Methods:
Before you begin this lab it is necessary
the proper safety standards are
understood. During this lab you will be
dealing with extremely hot temperatures
of sugar as well as hot pots and pans
and fire from a stove. The sugar and hot
pots and pans and fire should never be
touched directly as it can result in
severe burns. To ensure safety avoid
wearing any loose clothing that may get
caught, tie your hair back and be
wearing oven mitts while handling the
hot pots and pans. Make sure your
flame is being watched at all times, and
always be focused on the task at hand.
Whenever you are not using your flame
make sure it is extinguished. If you
come in contact with any of the hot
objects be sure to immediately soak the
burned area in cold water for at least
five minutes. Cover the burn in aloe vera
of rap in a gauze bandage and seek
professional care from a doctor if
necessary.
To begin, take out all necessary
supplies and ingredients. You will need
a small microwave-safe mixing bowl, a
spoon, a measuring cup that measure
up to one cup, measuring spoons, one
large pot, three 9x5in pans, a knife,
parchment paper, cooking spray, a
microwave, a stove, and a candy
thermometer. A candy thermometer is
key to making caramel because it can
measure high amounts of heats and
temperature plays a key part in the
caramel making process. For
ingredients you will need cup
unsalted butter, cup heavy cream, 4
tablespoons water, cup light corn
syrup, and 1-cup sugar. This amount of
ingredients will only cover one batch of
caramel; to make all three batches you
will need 3x the ingredients.
To make your caramels begin by cutting
a piece of parchment paper that will fit
inside your 9x5in pan, big enough to

come up the sides by at least 1in. Oil

and place the parchment paper in the
pan and set the pan aside. It is
important to do this step first as you will
need to immediately pour your caramel
in the pan when it is done cooking and
you will not have time to prep the pan at
any other time. Next, you will need your
butter, heavy cream, a knife, your
mixing bowl, and a microwave. Cut the
butter into eight equal pieces and
combine with cup heavy cream in
your mixing bowl. Microwave this for 1
to 2 minutes or until butter has melted
and set aside to be used later. In your
pot combine the water and corn syrup
and then add the sugar. It is important
you do your best not to splatter the
sugar up the sides of the pan, as this
will form unwanted sugar crystals. Use a
spoon to gently stir the sugar into the
water and corn syrup so that none of the
sugar remains dry. Heat this over
medium heat on your stove until the
sugar comes to a boil. Cover this with a
lid for about one minute; the steam that
is created from doing this will melt any
unwanted sugar from the side of the pot.
After one minute has passed remove
the lid and attach the candy
thermometer to the side of the pot. Cook
the sugar until it reaches exactly 320F.
As soon as the sugar reaches this
temperature carefully pour about of
your butter and heavy cream mixture
into the pot and stir, continue to
gradually add your butter and cream,
while continuing to stir, until it is all
gone. Adding the butter and cream
mixture resulted in the temperature of
the sugar dropping, you will now want to
continue cooking until the caramel
reaches a temperature of 240F. As
soon as your caramel reaches the
desired temperature pour the caramel
into the oiled pan and allow the caramel
to cool for 3-4 hours. To make the other
caramel repeat these steps exactly until
you reach the step after adding in your
butter and heavy cream. The only
change that will be made here is

allowing your temperature to reach

260F for the second batch and 280F
for the third batch. The temperature is
the only thing that changes because it is
our independent variable; everything
else is our controlled variable. Don't
forget to label each batch so you can
identify which caramel was heated to
each temperature. You will also want to
clean your supplies in between each
batch. The best way to clean your
supplies is by boiling water in the same
pan you used to make your caramel;
this allows the caramel to melt off the
sides. You can clean the other supplies,
such as the candy thermometer, by
sticking it in the boiling water. After all of
your caramels have cooled cut them into
1in. x 1/2 in. squares. For the firmer
caramel you will need to score it for
equal cut pieces, as it is too firm to cut.
Scoring it is where you use your knife to
saw little dent into the caramel and use
as a place to easily break the caramel.
You are now done with all your supplies
and can clean up and put them back in
their designated area.
Now that your caramel has been made
and is cooled it is time to test the
caramels firmness. You will need a new
set of supplies for this that include a
ruler, parchment paper, and four objects
that evenly distribute five pounds, use a
scale to be exact. You will need one
square of each caramel sample that is
cut to the same size and height. Take
your first caramel sample and note
which temperature/ sample it is, use
your ruler to measure the size and
height of that caramel, and record all of
the information in a data table for your
first caramel sample. Now place a piece
of parchment paper on top of the
caramel, you will want to do this so the
caramel sample does not stick to your
weights. Make sure the parchment
paper is larger than the caramel sample
as the sample is likely to spread out.
Place your first five-pound object on top
of the parchment cover caramel and let
sit for about 20 seconds. Remove the

object and use the ruler to find the

caramels new height and length
measurements, record what you find.
Now repeat the step but use two of your
five-pound weights. Remove the weights
and use your ruler to find your caramels
new height and length measurements-record what you find. Repeat these
steps until all four weights have been
placed on top of your caramel sample,
and don't forget to record your finding
after each step. Repeat this process
with your other two caramel samples.
This experiment would ideally be
completed with a Chatillon MT150
Manual Food Texture Tester. This
device squeezes the food and measures
the amount of force it takes to squish
the object. However that tool was
unavailable during this experiment and
the test had to be modified.
The dependent variable that is being
tested in the firmness factor, how hard
or soft the caramel turned out to be
based off of its temperature. To test this
use the equation l/l, change in length
divided by initial length, and h/h,
change in height divided by initial height.
This will show how much weight or force
it takes to change the form of the
caramel. The higher the number you get
the softer the caramel is.
The second thing you will want to do in
order to collect data is create a survey.
This survey will mostly focus on
qualitative data. In this survey you will
want to ask people to rate each sample
on taste,and firmness, and ask them to
describe these features of the caramel.
At the end ask them what their favorite
sample was and why. Make sure the
taste test is double blind and that
everyone tries every sample and
answers every question. These
questions should give you all the
information you need to answer our
question of what temperature produces
the prefered caramel.

Results:
Firmness Test Results Table 1, 2, and 3
(Caramel Sample A: 280F. B: 260F,
and C: 240F) holds all the information
recorded and calculated from the fitness
test. The first two columns in the table
give you all the numbers you will need
for the calculations. The second two
columns give you the answer from the
calculations. These tables provide you
with the length and height of the
caramel before and after each weight is
added for each sample. It also provides
you with the calculated answer for both
l/l and h/h for each sample. You can
use these numbers to determine how
firm your caramel is. In Firmness Test
Results Table 1, there is no change in
length or height of the caramel, showing
that the caramel was so firm that weight
had no effect on its physical state.
Firmness Test Results Table 2 shows a
change in height and length but not as
significant of a change as in Firmness
Test Results Table 3, showing that while
sample B is soft it is not as soft as
sample C. To calculate the elasticity
and firmness of the caramel use these
calculations: Length/height of caramel
(in inches) after weight - initial
length/height of caramel (in inches) =
change in length/height of caramel (in
inches). Initial and final dimensions of
the caramel samples were measured in
order to determine the weight's effect on
the caramel (See Example Calculations
Using Firmness Test Results Table 3).
Firmness Test Results Table 1:

Firmness Test Results Table 2:

Firmness Test Results Table 3:

Example Calculations using

Firmness Test Results Table 3:
2 - 1 = 0.63in ( After 5lbs)
(Length of caramel in inches after 5lb
weight - initial length of caramel in
inches = change in length of caramel in
inches)
2 - 1 = 1.0in ( After 10lbs)
(Length of caramel in inches after 10lb
weight - initial length of caramel in
inches = change in length of caramel in
inches)
2 - 1 = 1.25in ( After 15lbs)
(Length of caramel, in inches, after 15lb
weight - initial length of caramel in
inches = change in length of caramel in
inches)
2 - 1 = 1.25in ( After 20lbs)
(Length of caramel, in inches, after 20lb
weight - initial length of caramel in
inches = change in length of caramel in
inches)
0.631.5 = 0.42in (After 5lbs)

( Change in length, in inches, of caramel

Initial length of caramel = calculated
firmness/ elasticity)
1.01.5 = 0.66in (After 10lbs)
( Change in length, in inches, of caramel
Initial length of caramel = calculated
firmness/ elasticity)
1.251.5 = 0.83in (After 15lbs)
( Change in length, in inches, of caramel
Initial length of caramel = calculated
firmness/ elasticity)
1.251.5 = 0.83in (After 20lbs)
( Change in length, in inches, of caramel
Initial length of caramel = calculated
firmness/ elasticity)
- 1/7 = 0.11 (after 5lbs)
(Initial height of caramel in inches height of caramel, in inches, after 5lb
weight = change in height of caramel in
inches)
- 1/8 = 0.13 (after 10lbs)
(Initial height of caramel in inches height of caramel, in inches, after 10lb
weight = change in height of caramel in
inches)
- 1/7 = 0.18 (after 15lbs)
(Initial height of caramel in inches height of caramel, in inches, after 15lb
weight = change in height of caramel in
inches)
- 1/7 = 0.18 (after 20lbs)
(Initial height of caramel in inches height of caramel, in inches, after 20lb
weight = change in height of caramel in
inches)
0.110.25 = 0.44in (After 5lbs)
( Change in height, in inches, of caramel
Initial height of caramel = calculated
firmness/ elasticity)
0.130.25 = 0.52in (After 10lbs)
( Change in height, in inches, of caramel
Initial height of caramel = calculated
firmness/ elasticity)
0.180.25 = 0.72in (After 15lbs)
( Change in height, in inches, of caramel
Initial height of caramel = calculated
firmness/ elasticity)
0.180.25 = 0.72in (After 20lbs)
( Change in height, in inches, of caramel
Initial height of caramel = calculated
firmness/ elasticity)

The Survey Results Table holds the

average outcome for answers given on
the caramel sample survey. Each row
represents a caramel sample starting
from the second row of caramel sample
A at 280F, to sample B at 260F, to
sample C at 240F. The first labeled
column represents the average rating of
the taste for each sample on a scale of
1-5, 5 tasting the best. Move on to the
next column and you can view the
ranking of color from darkest to lightest.
The third column shows the average
rating of firmness given to each sample
on a scale of 1-5, 5 being the softest.
The last column shows the ranking of
most preferred sample to least preferred
sample of each caramel sample. This
information can be used to determine
and answer our purpose of finding the
preferred caramel based on temperature
change. The table tells us that although
each sample was given the same rating
of taste when people were asked their
favorite sample, sample C came out on
top followed by sample A and lastly
sample B. People also found that the
order of least firm caramel to most firm
caramel was sample C, B, then C.This
same order held true from lightest
caramel to darkest caramel. This would
make sense because C was heated to
the lowest temperature and A was
heated to the hottest temperature.
Survey Results Table:

Although the lighting and camera make

sample A look slightly lighter than
sample B, in person sample A is the
darkest brown. As mentioned before this

is due to the Maillard Reaction, where

the sugar and proteins are denatured.
Picture of each caramel sample:

There are two different averages and

outliers tables that show the average,
range, and outliers for the rated
firmness of each sample and the rated
deliciousness of each sample. In each
table you will find the central tendency
for each caramel by looking at the row
that reads Average. You can find the
range that the caramel firmness and
deliciousness was voted on in the row
that reads Range. You can also see if
any data was found to be outside of
what is expected from the average we
conducted by looking at the row that
reads Outliers. In this case we had no
outliers and all data seemed to fit well in
the average. This data was collected on
a survey taken by thirteen people. To
find average you have to add each
number together and divide it by the
amount of numbers added. To find
range you simply list the lowest and
highest number recorded to represent
that all other numbers fit within those
two. This data table shows similar data
as the survey results table, as it is taken
from the survey and shows the rating of
firmness and taste on a scale of 1 - 5.
The scale for firmness ranges from 1 to
5, with 5 being the softest. The scale for
taste ranges from 1 to 5, with 5 being
the most delicious. You can see in the
Averages and Outliers Table 1 that
sample A was found the firmest and

sample C was found the softest. This

table also tells us that people's opinion
varied the most on sample B and C, you
can see this because they both had a
wide range of 1 - 5. Sample A had the
smallest range of 2-5, where nobody
rated its firmness as a 1. There were no
outliers found in the firmness-rating
table. Averages and Outliers Table 2
shows that most people rated the
caramel a 4 /5, where 5 is the tastiest
caramel. You can see that most people
enjoyed sample A, the small range in
the upper ratting shows us this. Both
sample C and B had a range of 2-5
showing that there was a wider range of
opinion on how good the caramel
tasted. This table shows that there were
no outliers in this test.
Averages and Outliers Table 1:

Averages and Outliers Table 2:

Discussion & Conclusion:

The results found in this lab help
determine the preferred firmness of
caramel as well as how temperature
affects the caramel. Overall we found
that the softest caramel, heated to
240F was preferred, followed by the
firmest caramel heated to 280F, and
lastly the least preferred caramel was
the caramel heated to 260F. We also
found that by changing the temperature
we heat the caramel to we are changing

the firmness, color, and the taste as

well.
The results that were found during this
lab were both expected and not
expected. Expected results included the
color and firmness of the samples. The
color got darker as the temperature
increased; this made sense due to the
Maillard Reaction mentioned earlier. It
was also found that as the temperature
increased the caramel got firmer, this
can be explained by the evaporation
process, where the water reaches its
boiling point and then begins to
evaporate. The unexpected result came
from the preferred texture of the
caramel. I expected sample B to be
favored due to its happy medium
consistency, instead it turned out least
preferred. This shows that people has a
preferred taste of one of the two
extremes of either hard caramel or very
soft caramel. Ultimately sample C, the
softest sample heated to 240F came
out as the most preferred overall. There
were not a lot of outliers in this test
however I wouldn't consider this the
most reliable source. I would say that as
far as the qualitative data, such as the
preferred taste and texture, is reliable
because it was a double blind test taken
by multiple people. It was double blind
because the person distributing my
chocolate didn't know which sample was
which. The double blind aspect makes it
reliable because there is no suggested
bias. I would say the quantitative data,
such as the firmness measured by
math, is not as reliable. This is due to
the lack of appropriate equipment. To
improve the liability of this test a
Chatillon MT150 Manual Food Texture
Tester would need to be used. This
would result in a more accurate way of
measuring the caramels firmness.
Having more people take part in the
survey would result in a wider range of
opinions; this would also result in more
accurate results. It would be interesting
for a future experiment to a wider range

of temperatures tested. Caramel

producers can use the information found
in this lab to make the ideal caramel we

are looking for, knowing that the

preferred caramel is heated to 240F or
280F.

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