Caramel Cook Calculator

Caramel's texture is controlled almost entirely by the temperature it's cooked to, since higher temperatures drive off more water and leave a harder, less pliable sugar structure once cooled — this calculator ties that relationship directly into its recipe and timing math. It splits your total batch weight into fixed proportions (40% sugar, 25% butter, 30% cream, 4% corn syrup, 0.5% salt) that reflect a standard caramel formula, then sets a target temperature from your chosen firmness: 245°F for soft eating caramel or sauce, 250°F for a medium caramel firm enough to wrap, or 255°F for a firm caramel that holds a clean cut — you can also override any of these with a custom target. Cook time isn't linear with batch size: it scales by the batch weight raised to the 0.6 power relative to a 500g reference batch, reflecting that larger batches take proportionally longer to heat through but not in direct proportion to their mass, plus a temperature factor that adds cook time as the target climbs above 240°F, since driving off more moisture at a higher temperature takes longer.

Cooling time also scales with that same batch factor, since a bigger mass of hot sugar retains heat longer. The calculator assumes a flat 10% moisture loss during cooking to estimate your final yield, and pieces are estimated at roughly 10g each once cut and wrapped. Keep in mind these are recipe-level approximations, not stovetop physics: actual cook time depends heavily on your burner's heat output, pan size and material, and altitude, all of which shift how fast the syrup climbs to target temperature.