caramel

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
caramel /ˈkarəm(ə)l, -mɛl/

▶noun

• 1 sugar or syrup heated until it turns brown, used as a flavouring or colouring for food or drink.

• 2 a soft toffee made with sugar and butter that have been melted and further heated.

– derivatives
caramelization (or caramelisation) noun,
caramelize (or caramelise) verb.

– origin C18: from Fr., from Sp. caramelo.