Sugar pan

A heavy, unlined copper pan made especially for cooking sugar. The thickness of the pan helps the sugar to cook evenly without hot spots, and the acidity of the copper produces a chemical reaction that causes some of the sugar to break down into invert sugar (which is more resistant to recrystallization) during cooking. The sugar also cooks faster in this type of pan. A sugar pan has a small spout on the rim, which makes it easy to pour out the boiled sugar. The pans are available in sizes ranging from 2 cups to 5 quarts (480 ml to 4 L 800 ml). Most have hollow handles, sometimes made of a different material, such as stainless steel, to make the handle resistant to heat, and some are made with a metal ring attached about halfway up the side of the pan that sticks out to catch drips. Another helpful accessory sold with some pans is a lid with a hole designed to accommodate a sugar thermometer, allowing the chef to monitor the temperature of the sugar even when the pan is covered.