Caramelisation can refer to a number of different techniques in cookery. It always involves sugar, whether this be a form of actual sugar or the sugar inherent in other ingredients. In this particular instance, I am referring to the browning of ingredients or produce. This is achieved via direct heat, so baking or roasting, grilling or barbecuing, pan frying or sautéing.
As a chef, flavour and texture are incredibly important to me. Caramelisation of fruit and vegetables is a technique that can completely transform both flavour and texture, creating a markedly different, and more delicious, end result. Whilst the process can create an extra element of sweetness, it can also enhance the umami characteristics of the dish. For example, cauliflower florets that are steamed have a very different texture, taste and overall richness compared to roasted or pan fried cauliflower florets. Yes, they have the additions of fat to aid in the process but there is something so delicious about nutty, roasted cauliflower. And a beautifully caramelised onion is hard to beat.
There are a number of pre-requisites to ensure you can gain the maximum flavour from the caramelisation. Firstly, the produce you use needs to be as ripe as possible. All fruit and vegetables contain natural sugars, and the riper the produce, the more intensified these will become. So when selecting your produce, choose the brightest you can find.
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