# what to do with overcooked caramels? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681 "2011-12-29T00:13:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/1 "2011-12-29T00:13:02Z")
Today, my wife and I tried to make caramels for the first time ever. It looks like we let the caramel cook too long – it’s really tasty but it cooled way too hard. I guess we’re going to have to make another batch, but in the meantime, is there anything we can do with the too-hard first batch? Ideas are welcome. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/2 "2011-12-29T00:29:36Z")
If you can melt them down in a little water, you can use it as caramel sauce, or recook them to the correct temperature for your original caramels. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/3 "2011-12-29T00:40:15Z")
Well, first make sure you can get it out of the pan. Sounds like you went past the “firm ball” stage and into “soft crack.” Possibly even “hard crack.” That said, I don’t know if this is repairable. Let’s hope someone who does comes along. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/4 "2011-12-29T00:49:12Z")
I think I’d be tempted to freeze 'em and whack 'em with a hammer to shatter. Use in cookies or simply let them melt in your mouth like Werther’s. Caramel chips sound freaking awesome. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/5 "2011-12-29T01:00:12Z")
I’m going with “whack them into shards and call it hard toffee.” Also, I keep seeing the subject line as being about overcooked camels. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/6 "2011-12-29T01:10:47Z")
Well, camel’s a pretty tough meat from the get-go. I can see why one would want to avoid overcooking. I’m with them, I’d try to re-melt it with some cream probably. Love salted caramel sauce over ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/7 "2011-12-29T01:27:21Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Also, I keep seeing the subject line as being about overcooked camels. Oh, well those you just have to throw away the meat and use the bones to make a stock. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/8 "2011-12-29T01:30:34Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Oh, well those you just have to throw away the meat and use the bones to make a stock. Why of course. I say, do you have any Grey Poupon? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/9 "2011-12-29T02:10:03Z")
It probably says a lot about me, but I read the title as “overcooked cannibals.” I’d probably melt it with a bit of cream in a double boiler and call it caramel sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-overcooked-caramels/607681/10 "2011-12-29T02:59:43Z")
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone, but while I was out getting Thai food for everybody, my wife threw out the caramel (which came right out of the pan, thank goodness), so it’s a moot point anyway. Man, now I’m jonesing for some camel. Not a lot or anything. Maybe just a toe.