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Prevention is better than cure, so here are the measures you can take to prevent your caramel from turning grainy and how to fix crystallized caramel.

Caramel Sauce has Crystallized? (Here's How to Fix it)

5 from 3 votes
Pin Recipe
How to fix grainy caramel sauce? If caramel does turn grainy, it is not the end of the world. You can fix it and make it smooth once again.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes

Ingredients:

  • caramel sauce

Instructions:

How to fix grainy caramel:

  • The best way to resolve this issue of crystallization or grainy caramel sauce is to add more water. This means you should start over so the gritty sugar crystals dissolve once again.
  • Immediately remove the pan from the stovetop. Repeat the process by re-heating the sugar in low heat (understand that this will take time, patience is the key).
  • Carefully add two, three, or more tablespoons of water.
  • Put it back on medium-low heat, and very gently, stir the syrup to dissolve the crystals.
  • Once the water has all evaporated and the sugar is warm enough, the caramelization will start. Give the pan a swirl.
  • Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down a bit before transferring it into a glass container for storage.

Ways to prevent grainy caramel from happening:

  • Before you begin cooking, lightly oil the sides of the pan to discourage crystals from sticking.
  • Halfway through the cooking process, dissolve any crystals that form on the sides of the pan using a dampened pastry brush.
  • Another way of dissolving crystals that form on the pan’s sides is to put a lid tightly in place, which will create steam and liquify them.
  • Another technique is to add a little corn syrup into the syrup. The syrup crystallizes when it is pure. By adding corn syrup, you are introducing another element into the mixture. It limits the chances of a crystal-forming chain reaction taking place.
  • Other additions that do the same job include acids such as cream of tartar, lemon juice, or vinegar.
  • Refrain from stirring the syrup until it starts to change color, which is an indication that the water has evaporated. Before the color change begins, the syrup might still have undissolved sugar crystals in it.

Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

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