Why

Sugar

Caramelises Faster In A Humid Winter Kitchen

Sugar And Its Tendency To Caramelise

Caramelisation is a complex series of chemical reactions that occurs when sugar is heated to high temperatures, typically starting around 160°C, for refined sugar (sucrose). The sugar molecules break down and turn into something new – a golden-brown pool of sweetness with a rich, complex flavour. Unlike the Maillard reaction, which requires both sugars and proteins, caramelisation involves only carbohydrates. While regular sugar follows the typical temperature mentioned before, fructose requires an initial temperature of 150°C, while maltose caramelises at 180°C.

Why Winter Kitchens Are Different

While outdoor air is typically dry during cold months, indoor kitchens can become surprisingly humid hotspots. Water molecules conduct heat much faster than air, and humid air transfers heat more efficiently to food, cooking it more quickly. This means that your oven and, by extension, your stovetop, are actually operating at different effective temperatures depending on the moisture content in the air. 

For example, when you're cooking during winter with the heat running, boiling water for pasta, or roasting something in the oven, your kitchen experiences humidity levels 10-20% higher than other rooms in the house, with spikes even higher during cooking and cleaning. This trapped moisture creates a mini chamber that affects how sugar behaves.

Practical Implications for Cooks

Humid conditions make the conversion from sucrose to fructose and glucose happen more readily, and these simpler sugars caramelise at different rates, creating unpredictable colour changes. Then comes the origin of the recipe. If it were developed in a dry climate, it might specify ‘heat for 8 minutes until amber’, but in your humid winter kitchen, that same process might take only 6 minutes.

Humid days (over 60%) and some rainy days can affect how the candy turns out because the candy absorbs more moisture from the air. This also expands to crunchy layers of caramel made for desserts. This excess moisture interferes with achieving the precise sugar concentrations needed for different candy stages.

Adapting Your Technique

Professional pastry chefs and candy makers have long understood these principles, and now you can too, especially if you’ll be making caramel in humid conditions. Here's how to adapt, like a pro:

• Use a hygrometer to measure kitchen humidity. Above 60% relative humidity, expect significant changes in how sugar behaves.
• You may need to cook sugar to slightly higher temperatures to achieve the same concentration level, in super-humid conditions, as excess moisture must be driven off.
• Such conditions also make the caramelisation progress more quickly once it begins. Stay vigilant and be prepared to remove your pan from the heat sooner than expected.
• Once caramel has cooled down, store it in an airtight container to prevent it from picking up moisture from its surroundings. This is especially critical in humid climates or during humid days.
• Run exhaust fans, use dehumidifiers if available, and consider the timing of your caramel-making relative to other moisture-producing activities in your kitchen.

Dishes That Use Caramelised Sugar

Sugar has been loved for centuries, and with modern stoves and innovation, understanding how sugar caramelises, when cooking and prepping in humid conditions, will make making any dish a breeze. Here are some classic preparations that put caramelised sugar front and centre:

Caramel Sauce

The mother sauce of dessert toppings and bases, caramel sauce, uses caramelised sugar with cream and butter to create a pourable dessert sauce that is used in numerous desserts. The degree to which you heat the sugar determines whether you get blonde, amber, or a dark caramel sauce, each with a distinctly different flavour.

Crème Caramel (Flan)

Perhaps the most iconic use of caramelised sugar, this silky custard rests on a layer of liquid caramel that seeps into every bite. It’s also known as caramel custard. The caramel must be cooked to just the right stage – a deep shade of amber but not burnt. 

Crème Brûlée

The most amazing part of this otherwise simple French dessert is its crackling caramelised sugar crust, achieved by torching a thin layer of granulated sugar until it melts and browns. What is amazing about it is the glee that grips the eater when cracking into the stiff disc to access the cold and silky custard inside.

Salted Caramels

Perhaps the most popular candy that has endured the changing times and trends is the chewy and soft caramels. It combines dark caramelised sugar with cream and butter, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. The caramel stage determines whether you get a soft, flowing centre or a firmer, more hardened candy with little chew.

Caramel Popcorn

Whether you prefer the commercial crunch of Cracker Jack or homemade kettle corn, caramelised sugar coating transforms humble popcorn into an addictive snack. The challenge lies in coating each kernel evenly while the caramel is still fluid enough to spread but cool enough not to make the popcorn soggy.

Reading The Local Weather for Better Results

The relationship between sugar, heat, and humidity is a perfect example of how cooking is no less than science. The weather also affects the sugar, and in a humid winter kitchen, the very air around you also becomes an active participant in the caramelisation process. Rather than battling invisible demons, work with them by adjusting temperatures, timing, and techniques based on the day's conditions.