Caramelisation

Caramelisation is what happens when sugar itself breaks down under heat, producing brown colour and hundreds of aroma compounds. It is often confused with the Maillard reaction — they overlap in practice but are chemically different.

Why it matters. Many "browning" steps in cooking are a mix of both. Pure caramelisation dominates when you're cooking sugar itself (caramel, crème brûlée top) or vegetables with high sugar content and low protein (onions slow-cooked to jam, roasted carrots, parsnips). Maillard dominates when protein is also present (crust on a steak, toast, roasted nuts).

How to use it. Caramelisation kicks in around 160°C for sucrose. Dry heat, enough time, and no stirring too early are the usual ingredients.

Examples

(awaiting examples from cooks)

2026-05-10 — I made a pancake on my cast iron griddle and got a nice golden-brown cook on the first side, with some darker spotting across the surface that suggests good heat distribution. The pancake has risen evenly and shows a pale, set top with a slightly darker, crispy-edged base – exactly what you want before the flip. There's visible oil or butter on the pan around the edges, which helped achieve this gentle caramelisation without burning.

I've made a straightforward bacon sandwich on a toasted bun. The bacon has been cooked until crisp and deeply caramelised, with the fat rendered down to a glossy amber and the edges curled and slightly charred. The meat is layered generously across the split bun, which shows good colour from toasting and has absorbed some of the bacon fat. The overall execution is clean—good heat control on the bacon without burning, and proper layering for a satisfying sandwich.

Sources