Edit History

Edit3: just found a post with identical issue to mine (

) sorry for posting too soon x)

Need help please - caramel released water?

I made caramel a few days ago - was a success, creamy, smooth caramel (sugar, water, cream).

Today I decided I wanted to add salt to it, so I heated it up and added salt. The thing is, the salt hadn't dissolved properly, and I'm not sure why? Any ideas?

As the caramel cooled down, I was left with really gooey caramel and found a layer of liquid when I tilted the pan. I heated it back up and whisked it back together so its a saucey consistency once again, but I'm afraid it'll just separate again once it reaches room temperature.

Is it possible to add salt after already adding cream and cooking it back up so it thickens a bit, ir is there not enough water to dissolve the salt at that point?

Can I do anything to save it if it separates again?

Edit: yup, it's still there.. looks like condensation on caramel

Edit2: oh no, no that I'm reading about caramel everyone is so cautious about the humidity?.... I was firstly heating it in a thin pan, and it seemed like it was heating too fast so I decided to use a double boiler method (but with the bottom dunked in the boiling water, to not let it go above 100C)...this might have caused it?

I'm still struggling to understand though, why it absorbs water and melts nicely after heating up, but then starts to separate? There must be some sugar chemistry reason behind it that I don't understand (I would love to though if anyone could explain)

Need help please - caramel released water?

I made caramel a few days ago - was a success, creamy, smooth caramel (sugar, water, cream).

Today I decided I wanted to add salt to it, so I heated it up and added salt. The thing is, the salt hadn't dissolved properly, and I'm not sure why? Any ideas?

As the caramel cooled down, I was left with really gooey caramel and found a layer of liquid when I tilted the pan. I heated it back up and whisked it back together so its a saucey consistency once again, but I'm afraid it'll just separate again once it reaches room temperature.

Is it possible to add salt after already adding cream and cooking it back up so it thickens a bit, ir is there not enough water to dissolve the salt at that point?

Can I do anything to save it if it separates again?

Edit: yup, it's still there.. looks like condensation on caramel

Edit2: oh no, no that I'm reading about caramel everyone is so cautious about the humidity?.... I was firstly heating it in a thin pan, and it seemed like it was heating too fast so I decided to use a double boiler method (but with the bottom dunked in the boiling water, to not let it go above 100C)...this might have caused it?

I'm still struggling to understand though, why it absorbs water and melts nicely after heating up, but then starts to separate? There must be some sugar chemistry reason behind it that I don't understand (I would love to though if anyone could explain)

Need help please - caramel released water?

I made caramel a few days ago - was a success, creamy, smooth caramel (sugar, water, cream).

Today I decided I wanted to add salt to it, so I heated it up and added salt. The thing is, the salt hadn't dissolved properly, and I'm not sure why? Any ideas?

As the caramel cooled down, I was left with really gooey caramel and found a layer of liquid when I tilted the pan. I heated it back up and whisked it back together so its a saucey consistency once again, but I'm afraid it'll just separate again once it reaches room temperature.

Is it possible to add salt after already adding cream and cooking it back up so it thickens a bit, ir is there not enough water to dissolve the salt at that point?

Can I do anything to save it if it separates again?

Edit: yup, it's still there.. looks like condensation on caramel