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Oven-toast sugar to get dry caramel

Toasted Sugar: On the left, sugar that was slowly caramelized in a 300-degree oven for 3 1/2 hours. On the right, regular granulated sugar.
Toasted Sugar: On the left, sugar that was slowly caramelized in a 300-degree oven for 3 1/2 hours. On the right, regular granulated sugar.

Dry caramel.

It sounds like an oxymoron, right?

Dry caramel, also known as toasted sugar, is exactly what it sounds like. Sugar that has been caramelized without liquefying.

I learned about the existence of toasted sugar last week in an article by Stella Parks at seriouseats.com. After reading that it can be used in any recipe that calls for regular granulated sugar, but adds a caramel-y flavor, I had to try it. To read Parks' article, which explains all about the science of how sugar can be caramelized without melting or turning to liquid, visit tinyurl.com/dry-caramel.

The process is achieved over the course of several hours using a glass baking dish in the oven. (A glass or ceramic pan is required for this process, as metal heats too unevenly.) And the results were delectable. Different from traditional sticky liquid caramel, but equally delicious.

As it toasted the sugar filled my house with a pleasant burnt smell, a little like the aroma you get when the filling from a pie spills over and hits the oven floor, but in a really good way.

I baked my batch for almost four hours and while I wouldn't describe it as "a rich, flavorful caramel" on its own, it is definitely good -- like the crisp top on a creme brulee, but in powder form.

The process draws out the internal moisture in the sugar, making it clump together. This is normal. What's not normal are large wet patches. I had quite a bit of wet, semi-melted sugar left in the bottom of my baking dish after toasting. Some of it I was able to scrape out and blend with the rest of it, and some of it I ate like rock candy, but about a cup of it remained fused with the dish. I think this could have been avoided by more thorough stirring while the sugar was toasting.

According to Parks, the sugar can be used cup for cup in any recipe that calls for granulated sugar. To test this, I made two batches of simple sugar cookies. One with regular granulated sugar and one using toasted sugar. The toasted sugar cookies were less sweet, but had a deep caramel flavor and they were moister. Way moister. The toasted sugar seemed to bring out the butter, making the cookie denser. Several tasters noted that the cookies made with toasted sugar tasted less sweet, yet richer.

I would not go as far to say that the sugars are interchangeable, but for recipes where you want caramel flavor without the stickiness and moisture is not an issue, this sugar will do the job.

Toasted Sugar

4 pounds granulated white sugar (about 9 cups)

Glass or ceramic deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish (do not use metal)

Long-handled metal or wooden spoon

Large metal bowl

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

Pour the sugar into a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake without stirring for 1 hour or until sugar turns ivory in color. Stir well -- careful! the dish will be very full and the sugar is hot -- making sure to get into the corners of the dish and along the bottom and continue baking, stirring every 30 minutes, for 2 hours more or until sugar has reached the desired shade of golden brown, but no longer than 4 hours. Any longer and the sugar will liquefy.

If you notice wet spots when you remove the sugar from the oven, carefully transfer the dry sugar to a very large metal or other high-heat safe bowl or container, leaving the wet sugar behind in the baking dish. Be careful not to touch the sugar as it will be very, very hot. Let cool completely, at least 2 hours. The cooled sugar may harden and crust somewhat, but should break apart relatively easily. Process it to a powder in a food processor or blender. Store, indefinitely, in an airtight container.

Makes about 9 cups.

Food on 05/25/2016

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