Homemade Salted Caramel (+ Caramel Chocolates!)
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I love salted caramel. I really really really ... really do.
Unfortunately, I also cannot stand reading a pre-made caramel recipe label. When did such a simple, nourishing dessert turn into a list of chemicals? Sigh. It makes me sad.
Luckily, that is what my kitchen is for - for recreating traditional recipes!
To give you some insight as to how delicious this caramel is: my mother, who refuses to eat whole dairy or butter, or pretty much anything I make, usually polishes off a batch of this in just a few days. In fact, I make it and leave it in the fridge periodically as a way of getting some nourishment into her. (Hey. whatever works!)
Feel free to enjoy this caramel one table spoon at a time as is, drizzle it over some ice cream, or even make it into chocolates, like I did. To that end, I have also included the recipe for the chocolate option, and it is simple and fun to make. If you have little ones, they will love making these treats... and eating them too!
Enjoy!
Love,
Varya
Homemade Salted Caramel
TIME: 35 min
YIELD: 1.5-2 cups
INGREDIENTS:
400 ml whole organic whipping cream
3/4 cup raw cane sugar (you can use coconut sap sugar if you prefer)
1 1/2-2 tsp himalayan sea salt, to taste
3 tbsp water
1/4 cup organic/grassfed cultured butter, melted
PROCESS:
1. Place all ingredients in a medium sized pot on the stove, on med heat. Stir, and allow to come to a boil.
2. Decrease heat to a simmer, and stir continuously (turn on some nice music meanwhile) for 25 min until the caramel has thickened.
3. Remove from heat, and beat up a bit with a spoon until the colour lightens a bit.
4. Allow to cool on the stove, and pour over some ice cream, or make chocolates! Or transfer to the fridge and enjoy one delectable spoonful at a time. If you ever want to reheat the caramel, simply do so over a double boiler.
Caramel Chocolates
TIME: 40 min
YIELD: approx 2 dozen
INGREDIENTS:
1 - 80% Camino chocolate bar (100 g)
1 tsp coconut oil
homemade salted caramel
* plastic chocolate/candy shape sheet
PROCESS:
1. Break chocolate bar into pieces, and melt over a double boiler with the 1 tsp coconut oil. Stir well. When melted and mixed, lower heat to minimum and simply keep warm.
2. Select a new paintbrush or candy brush for this project. Dip it in the chocolate, and use it to fill the bottom and sides of each little mold on the shape sheet (choose whatever shape you prefer!). Ensure that you have a nice thick layer and that you cannot see the bottom. Place sheet in the freezer for 3 min. Then remove, and brush more chocolate onto the sides if you see any spots that are light. Place back in the freezer for 3 min.
3. Spoon caramel into the chocolate filled shapes (approx 1/2 tsp ea). Place sheet into freezer for 5 min.
4. Using a teaspoon and the brush to even out after, cover the caramel with another layer of chocolate. Place in freezer for 25 min.
5. Pop chocolates out one at a time by pressing on the individual shapes. I recommend also placing the dish you will be serving the chocolates on into the freezer prior, so that the chocolates will not melt.
6. Arrange on serving dish, and place back into freezer until ready to serve (otherwise they will begin to melt a bit). Enjoy!
