Kitchen rescueChocolate and sugarUsually saveable

How to fix crystallised caramel

Add a splash of water and heat gently, swirling the pan, until the sugar dissolves again, then cook it on without stirring.

How you can tell

  • The syrup turns cloudy, thick and opaque
  • Hard, white sugar crystals form in the pan
  • The mixture becomes gritty or sets into a solid lump

Why it happens

Making caramel means dissolving sugar into a syrup and then heating it until it caramelises. A sugar syrup is unstable, and a stray crystal can set off a chain reaction where the rest of the sugar crystallises around it. This is called crystallisation. Stirring, sugar crystals stuck to the sides of the pan, or bits of dust or undissolved sugar can all start it off. Acids such as lemon juice, and ingredients such as golden syrup or glucose syrup, help stop sugar from crystallising.

How to fix it

Option 1Dissolve it again

  1. Add a splash of water to the pan
  2. Heat gently, swirling the pan rather than stirring, until the crystals dissolve
  3. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water
  4. Turn up the heat and cook without stirring until it turns golden

Option 2Add something to stop it recrystallising

  1. When the sugar has dissolved again, add a squeeze of lemon juice or a spoonful of golden syrup
  2. Carry on cooking without stirring

Next time

  • Make sure all the sugar has dissolved before the syrup boils
  • Swirl the pan instead of stirring when it boils
  • Brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush
  • Use a clean pan and add a little lemon juice or golden syrup

Terms on this page

General kitchen guidance, not food-safety advice. If food may be unsafe, for example undercooked meat or anything left out too long, follow the Food Standards Agency and throw it away if in doubt.