Does oxidation inhibit caramelization?

Question

Getting ready to make some fried plantains, but I wanted to get a jump on prep before caramelizing in place (approximately 2 hours from prep). If I cut them now, and they oxidize, will this inhibit their caramelization? Would oxidation promote caramelization?

It is possible to prevent oxidation of bananas and plantains with use of an acidulated water soak for three to five minutes, then pat dry. However, the plantains are a bit too ripe and soft to be able to pat dry without either leaving behind paper bits or mussing the surface of the fruit.

How does oxidation impact caramelization, if at all, and if the plantains oxidize, what would be the best method for caramelization?

Asked by mfg

Answer

If the plantains were on the greener side, they would take longer to fry than riper plantains like you have. The more ripe plantains are, the higher their sugar content, and the faster they will caramelize. The only effect of oxidation is an increased speed of caramelization. They will be done when they are soft and brown, but be careful not to let them burn since the sugar content will make them brown in less than 10 minutes.

Answered by Wayne R Toher

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How do I get caramels to turn out grainy?

Question

Yes, I know the opposite of the usual question. I've been making candy since I was a little kid. My caramels are always smooth and creamy. My partner's father thinks they taste good but that the texture is all wrong. He liked the gritty/grainy ones his mother used to make. Everything I have ever seen listed as a way to fix grainy caramels I have tried reversing.

I have tried many things, including:

• adding granulated sugar late in the process
• not using corn syrup or other invert sugar
• cooking them at high temps
• cooking them for too short a time
• stirring or not stirring at all the wrong times
• switching recipes
• varying the fat content

I guess I am wondering what makes caramels turn out grainy. It's not as far as I can tell, wholly related to the sugar dissolving/melting. If it was adding some granulated sugar as it cools should cause more crystals to form.

Is it related to the liquid content? Because sometimes after months in a cupboard even ordinarily smooth caramels will have developed some graininess.

Answer

As you mentioned it is all about how the crystals form.

Some of the factors off the top of my head:

• How saturated is the solution - The more sugar packed into the syrup the more easily it will crystallize.
• How quickly it cools - The slower the bigger the crystals
• Interference - Do you have a starch or other sugar molecules gumming up the works?

Obviously you already knew this from your question.

Not using other sugars will help. You might also try adding more sugar to the recipe at the beginning to fully saturate your solution. The fact that you add sugar at the end and it still dissolves in makes me think your solution could take a bit more. Letting the solution cool slowly with your seed sugar at the end should help.

You would think it would be easier to get it wrong. Perhaps you simply have too much experience doing it right.

Ask an amateur to try out your recipe and see if they fail properly.

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