Crystallization of Caramels

[Burny B]

I am a newer member of eG Forums and would like to thank the organizers and members for this amazing web-site. It's very educational and enjoyable! I've been making caramels at home for about a year, and have been running into problems with delayed crystallization. I have been using Recchiuti's Fleur de Sel recipe from his 'Chocolate Obsession' book which uses the dry technique for making caramels. My caramels start graining up about a week out, despite being enrobed in chocolate and stored in a sealed container to hopefully limit moisture attraction. I'm wondering if there isn't enough 'doctoring agent' in this recipe? Here is my current recipe:

5 drops Lemon Juice
298 g Sugar
1/2 Vanilla Bean
232 g (1 cup) whipping cream
38 g light corn syrup
14 g 82% Butter
1/2 tsp fleur de sel

+/- toasted cashews

Are there any general guidelines for the ratio of corn syrup to sugar? If I do increase the corn syrup and decrease the sugar by equal amounts, will this affect the texture of the caramels. Could the cashews be contributing to the crystallization too?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Burny

Edited April 11, 2013 by Burny B (log)

[minas6907]

Is there really just 38g corn syrup, or did you mean 380g? There definitely is a relation between corn syrup and sugar when your trying to prevent crystallization. The corn syrup needs to be increased for sure.

[Burny B]

Thanks for your suggestions. I've double-checked, and the recipe does call for 38 g (1 1/3 oz by weight). It also seemed way too little to me. Could you kindly suggest a starting point for the ratio of the sugar:corn syrup. By adding more corn syrup, will I need to increase the temperature of the cream/caramelized sugar mixture to keep the texture the same?

[keychris]

as a very rough guide, I have no troubles with about 2:1 sugar:glucose syrup (ie 200g sugar, 100g glucose syrup) (I assume corn syrup is what I call glucose syrup here in Australia )

and when dry caramelising, I never check the temperature, I go by the colour I want.

Edited April 12, 2013 by keychris (log)

[Burny B]

I appreciate your advice, Keychris. Hopefully, that will put an end to the graininess! I may not have been clear, but I don't check the temperature when I am melting the sugar. I do check it when I am heating the cream mixture after it has been added to the caramelized sugar. Do you not check the temperature at that point?

Thanks again.