Experimenting with Carmelization

Caramel

 After adding together the sugar, water, and salt, listed on the Serious Eats website's recipe for easy caramel sauce, I stirred the mixture on the stove until it began to boil. I then allowed the beginnings of the caramel to heat undisturbed.

 Once the caramel had begun to darken, I added in the cream, and began to stir again. The recipe demanded that I continue this step until the caramel reached 225 degrees. As demonstrated in the photo, it was at this point in time that I came to realize my thermometer was, in fact, broken. 

Thus began what I would call the 'winging it' stage.

 The recipe estimated that it would take about three minutes for the caramel to turn a deeper shade of brown and become its sticky, completed self. Looking at the photo of what the finished product was supposed to resemble, I gave it longer than three minutes. The browning, or caramelization is caused by the energy of the heat interacting with the sugar, changing the color and adding depth of flavor. I did not want to lessen it's impact by cutting the process short by accident. 

 I think it is safe to say that something went wrong. Where, and when, I am not certain. The taste was pleasant, and sweet, but the resultant texture was incorrect, leading me to believe that the sugar did not fully melt, and that it perhaps did not get hot enough. We will have to try again!