Cookbook:Caramelization

Caramelization is when a sugar, such as sucrose or starches, chemically splits and changes to a golden, amber, deep brown, or charred color. This term is often used interchangeably with the term Maillard reaction, but in reality, they are quite different. A well-known use is to create a sugar crust on Crème Brûlées that creates a pleasing texture differential.