Soft caramel is a creamy, chewy, and delicious candy perfect for any crisp fall day.
It’s October which means that Halloween is just around the corner! It also means that I am going to turn my focus entirely to making homemade candy. October is candy month after all.
One of my favorite candy is soft caramel. They are delicious, chewy, and sweet. But they are also easy to make. I just really love caramel and will use any excuse I have to make it. Making caramel does require a candy thermometer because temperature is extremely important.
Too low and the caramel won’t come together, too high and the caramel will come out hard. Getting a soft caramel is all about getting that temperature just right. And I get the bonus of having my kitchen smell of sugary goodness.
This delicious, sweet treat is the perfect accompaniment to a cold fall day. I truly do love soft caramels, and this was the perfect recipe.
Check out the Make section of MCG for more fun recipes like desserts and savory dishes.
Ingredients
Luckily, caramel does not need a lot of ingredients. Although I do find myself cooking with light-corn syrup more and more as I dive deeper into the world of candy. And to take this away from being a harder caramel, I am also using cream and butter. Is this a recipe of indulgence? Yes.
Process
Boiling the Sugar
The first step of this whole process is to caramelize the sugar. I know, caramelization in caramel? Crazy. I got a saucepot and combine the corn syrup and sugar. Corn-syrup just feels fun to work with because it is so sticky. I know it is not the healthiest ingredient, but it makes candy so delicious.
I used a candy thermometer to measure the temperature of the mixture because I was very concerned about overboiling the sugar. Soft caramel needs caramelization but too much will turn it a little too hard. And that’s not the goals.
Adding in Cream
Just before the sugar reaches the desired temperature, I used a microwave to heat and combine the butter and heavy whipping cream. I wanted the butter to be melted but I also wanted the ingredients to be hot.
Having these hot will prevent any sudden hardening when it’s added into the sugar. I was trying to avoid having a temperature shock that cause rapid cooling and an uneven setting of the soft caramel. Pouring the cream into the caramel was oddly satisfying.
Once everything was stirred together, I poured the whole mixture in a dish lined with parchment paper. This was mainly to prevent anything from sticking. Parchment paper is really good for lining and protecting against hot mixtures even outside of the oven.
The last step is walking away and letting the soft caramel cool. It will not really harden since soft is the texture I am aiming for. But it will be cool to the touch and kind of squishy. Turning the caramel out of the pan was easy. Cutting it into pieces was a little bit more challenging.
Reflections
Yup. Delicious. I love these soft caramel candies. They are just perfect to sweeten up your day in a creamy, chewy bite. They are a little involved with their process since you have to keep a close eye on the temperature. But the basic steps are easy.
I also discovered that these soft caramels are dangerous to have around me. I ate all of them waaaay to quickly. While I love these, I might not make them that often just because I can’t trust my self-control.
Lessons
The Difference in Paper
When I first went to line my tin, I reached for the wax paper. This is not a good choice. I realized there is a big difference between parchment paper and wax paper which I never really thought about before. Parchment paper is made to withstand heat up to about 450° Fahrenheit. Wax paper is not made to withstand heat. It more for protection of food that has already cooled down or during the prepping ingredients processSoft caramel is a creamy, chewy, and delicious candy perfect for any crisp fall day
recipe
Soft Caramel
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Light-Corn Syrup
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- ½ Cup Unsalted Butter softened
Instructions
- In a saucepot, combine light-corn syrup and granulated sugar. Place over a low heat to allow the sugar to dissolve.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine heavy whipping cream and unsalted butter. In 30-second burst, melt the butter into the cream.
- Boil the sugar until it reaches 245° Fahrenheit. Then add in the heavy whipping cream mixture while the heavy whipping cream is still hot.
- Pour into a square mold that is either silicone or lined with wax paper. Let cool.
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