It’s almost Valentine’s Day, which means it's the time of year I longingly look at all the different flavors of chocolate candy, drooling over all the possibilities.
But not anymore! I made these mouth watering, soft, chewy, caramels dipped in smooth chocolate. And the best part? You can add in whatever else you want, like peanuts or coconut!
I got a little confused and flustered, BUT I did some research (idk why I didn’t do it earlier) and I think I finally figured it out! (Until next time anyways haha.) I found this really good article that explains the different ways you can successfully make caramels. And I also found this awesome video that shows you how to make drizzle and chewy caramel. I tweaked my recipe, so hopefully it’s easy to follow and helps you make successful caramel every time!
Here's what I found while researching:
The way I was making caramels is great for drizzling onto baked goods
There are a few different ways to make caramels
There is a ton of different information about how you can make caramels, but they all seem to turn out, so that’s cool
For example:
You can make a wet or dry caramel (she explains it in the video linked up above)
You can have cold, room temperature, or cold butter, and it seems to turn out either way
You can change the amount of cream and butter can change depending on how soft you want the caramel
Methods to making drizzle and chewy caramel:
To make drizzle caramel:
Heat the sugar until it reaches 320 degrees F (caramel stage)
OR
If you don't have or don't want to use a candy thermometer (it's intimidating, but you can do it!) just cook the sugar until it's a dark amber brown
Take it off the heat, add the vanilla, cream, and butter and mix until thoroughly combined and let cool (I have the recipe and directions down below. Stop at step 10)
To make chewy caramel:
Heat the sugar until it reaches 320 degrees F or when it turns a dark amber color
Take it off the heat, add the vanilla, cream, and butter, and stir until it’s completely combined
Put it back on the stove and cook until the temperature reaches 245 degrees F
Take it off the heat and pour it onto/into whatever molds or tray you have
Tips to help you make caramel successfully:
Make sure you have all the ingredients and tools needed close by (things move quickly, so it helps to be prepared and have everything close)
It helps to have a thick bottomed saucepan, but it’s not required
Have a good candy thermometer and check it every so often to make sure it’s accurate (I have a digital one, that I LOVE, but there are other good ones too)
Know if you need to adjust your temperatures because of your elevation (not sure what it would be? I have a great blog post about this that will help you determine how much you need to adjust your temperatures to)
Read through the instructions completely before you begin making the caramel
I know these aren't caramels, they were just too pretty not to put on the blog!
If you want to know how to make them, check out Edgy Veg's video!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 c corn syrup
1/4 c water
1c FULL FAT coconut cream (chilled)
5 tbsp vegan butter (I used Earth Balance, but use whatever brand you want)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate:
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 c vegan friendly chocolate, melted (I used Trader Joe’s dark chocolate and Almond Drink Milk Chocolate bar)
Directions:
Prepare your molds/pan
For molds: line them with vegan butter or oil
For an 8x8 inch pan: line with wax paper and spray it with cooking spray (just to be safe. This stuff is sticky)
Optional: Toast some nuts (like cashews or peanuts) and/or coconut in the oven at 300 degrees F for about 5 - 10 minutes or until they’re golden brown
Put the peanuts or coconut flakes in the silicone molds, in the pan, or in a bowl where you can mix them in with the caramel later
In a separate bowl, combine the coconut cream(just scrape off the thick creamy part at the top. Don't use the water), vegan butter, and vanilla extract and set aside but close to the oven, and make sure the cream and butter are at room temperature
Make sure your thermometer, bowl of ice cold water, a pastry brush, and your bowl with cream and butter in it is close to the stove
Put the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium sized saucepan and place over medium heat
Stir continuously until the sugar melts, the mixture becomes clear, and it starts to boil
Once boiling, stop stirring, place your candy thermometer on the side of the sauce pan, and wipe the sides down with water and a pastry brush so there are NO sugar crystals left on the sides
Cook the sugar until it reaches caramel stage, 320 degrees F (or whatever your temperature is depending on your elevation) or when the sugar is a deep amber color and smells sweet
Pull it off the heat and pour in the vegan butter, coconut cream, and vanilla extract and stir (it might bubble up and look crazy for a few seconds, but keep stirring, it will calm down)
Place the pan back on the stove, stir continuously, and cook until it reaches 245 degrees F
Take it off the stove, and pour the caramel into the molds or into the bowl with the peanuts and mix them together (then pour into the pan and spread evenly)
Stick in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight to let it set
Melt the chocolate and let it cool for 5 - 10 minutes
Once they’re set, dunk them in the chocolate, set onto wax paper, and let the chocolate set
Keep them in an airtight container I the fridge for up to a few weeks
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