Maillard Reaction Master Class

The key principles for controlling this reaction in your own cooking:

• Higher heat speeds the reaction but risks burning — aim between 140°C and 180°C
• Dry surfaces brown faster, since water holds the temperature at 100°C
• Alkaline conditions (baking soda) speed the reaction up sharply
• Reducing sugars (glucose, fructose, lactose) react more readily than table sugar
• Pressure cookers can trigger Maillard reactions in liquids by raising the boiling point above 100°C.