Caramelization results from cooking to the soft-ball stage and yields a nice brown color and caramel flavor.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Caramelization is the process of browning sugar, which occurs independently of the soft-ball stage. The soft-ball stage is a term used in candy making referring to the temperature range at which sugar syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball (234–240 °F or 112–115 °C). Caramelization, on the other hand, involves the thermal decomposition of sugars and occurs at higher temperatures, starting around 320°F (160°C), resulting in the characteristic brown color and flavor of caramel.

Caramelization Results from Cooking to the Soft-Ball Stage and Yields