To Caramelize a Custard Mold

Wash a skillet with soap and water. Rinse it abundantly with clear water and do not wipe it dry. Add sugar and one third of the volume of the sugar in water. Bring rapidly to a boil then turn the heat down slightly and cook until the sugar starts to turn brown. Tilt the pan back and forth to homogenize but do not stir with a spoon! From now on, be careful not to let the caramel get too dark; it happens very quickly because making caramel consists of removing most of the water contained in sugar. The darker a caramel becomes, the less sweet it is and the more bitter it turns. If you burn a caramel, it will be unmercifully bitter and if it starts smoking, you can expect it to turn into a crust of cinder which is pure carbon.