Help!! Jean!! Everyone else!!

[Old Bay]

Jane does not do computers but she asked me to post this for her--Jane says-
I am making a pineapple upside down cake for Bill and his staff to finish a birthday lunch on Monday. I have a recipe (delicious!) that says-
"melt 6 T butter in a 9 1/2 inch cast iron skillet with 2 1/2 inch high sides over med heat. Add 1 C dark brown sugar and whisk until sugar dissolves and syrup boils"
I have made this dessert twice--trying different temps and cooking times for the syrup component. Each time the result was grainy and ugly. Amazingly everyone loved it!! In an old recipe I have used proportions of 3 T butter to 1/2 C sugar with good results--sounds the same--but one works and the other doesn't--any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Jane (Mrs Old Bay)

[Roxanne 21]

Nice to meet you, Jane!!!! Welcome aboard!!!!!!!

The only difference I see in your recipes is the amount of butter and brown sugar....one would just be sweeter than the other. Have you ever tried to place the cooked syrup in a baking pan and then putting in the oven for the cooking/baking process??? The oven heat is a bit more stable and the end result is always a winner.

I will be happy to give more instructions if you wish. I don't think I have done the cast iron skillet method.....sounds a bit too amenable to improper times and temps. I stand to be corrected by all of the professionals out there but.....

Good luck with whatever you choose---it will be GREAT and anything homemade with your care will be welcomed!!!

[cjs]

same ratio, but different quantities???? geez, I can't figure out why one works and the other doesn't.....got me stumped.

But, if everyone else likes it, close your eyes and use the larger quantities Or, go with Roxanne's suggestion - good luck Jane.

[firechef]

I may be too late but could you have used a different brown sugar in the past with the various recipes? Just wondering if the age or quality of the brown sugar could make a difference...now I am thinking...no Iowa is not on fire that is just the "little engine that could" puffing away between my ears.