Culinary Institute of America

Wet Method

Appears in
top 1000Baking & Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft
Baking & Pastry

By Culinary Institute of America

Published 2015

  • About
The wet method of sugar cooking dissolves the sugar in water; then as the solution cooks, the water evaporates, acting to increase the concentration of sugar and resulting in a supersaturated, noncrystalline sugar solution. The concentration of the sugar solution increases as the solution is cooked, the temperature increases, and more of the water evaporates. The wet method is best used when sugar must be cooked to a specific stage or temperature.
  1. To cook sugar by the wet method, use a heavy-bottomed pot to ensure even heat conduction. The water should equal approximately 30 percent of the weight of the sugar. If too little water is used, there may be undissolved sugar crystals in the syrup, which may cause recrystallization.
  2. Place the pan over high heat and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil to ensure all the sugar is melted. As the dissolved sugar is heated, the water evaporates, acting to increase the concentration of sugar; as the temperature increases, water continues to evaporate, leaving behind a supersaturated noncrystalline sugar solution. Stirring constantly is important, as agitation will prevent the collision of particles in the solution that lead to crystallization.
  3. Once it has come to a boil, stop stirring and skim off any impurities.
  4. Using a pastry brush, wash down the sides of the pan with cool water to prevent crystals from forming. Crystallization of the cooking sugar occurs readily on the side of the pan where crystals are deposited from evaporating liquid. These crystals, in turn, can easily act to “seed” the rest of the sugar in the pan, causing it to begin to crystallize, becoming lumpy and granular. A “seed” in this context is anything that will act as a surface hosting the growth of sugar crystals. Examples of seeds are whole sugar crystals, air bubbles, or skewers (as sometimes used in making candy). Brushing the sides of the pan with cool water prevents crystals from forming by adding moisture lost in evaporation during cooking. Repeat as often as necessary to keep the sides of the pan clean until the sugar has reached the desired temperature, consistency, and color.
  5. Add the acid ingredient (cream of tartar, lemon juice, etc.), if using. Adding a small amount of an acid can help prevent crystallization during cooking; when boiled with a dilute acid, sugar will result in an invert sugar that interferes with the crystallization process.