Homemade caramels to bring you holiday happiness

Dec 12, 2017

Most of the time I’m happy to share the recipes I come up with on the blog, but this time there was something in me that thought I should just keep this one a secret and perhaps profit off of starting a caramel business. The caramels came out that good.  I didn’t exactly re-invent the wheel with my recipe, however I was just amazed at how amazing the caramels turned out, and no “real” butter or cream was used.

You might ask “why bother making my own caramels when I can buy delicious ones in the store? I’m here to tell you: bother. There’s nothing more satisfying than to see that sugary liquid turn into a golden brown and the liquid magically transform into chewy, delightful caramel.  Making your own candy for the holidays is magical; it brings extra joy to the house and since it’s not perfect looking or uniform in size, extra charming too!

I used my tried and true Earth Balance for butter and to replace the heavy cream I used full fat coconut milk. For those of you who are not crazy about coconut don’t fret, there is absolutely no coconut flavor left in the finished product, only the creamy, rich thickness reminiscent of cream.

Norwegians have a love for many things caramel flavored.  Of course we have the best chocolate covered caramel candy, but there is also “karamellpudding”, our flan /creme caramel/creme brulee, and all kinds of caramelized almonds and fudge we put on our decadent cakes.

During Christmas,  it’s customary in many homes to make your own caramels. It wasn’t in my house growing up, but it’s a tradition I’m happy to adopt.  While I’m not one to eat candy on a weekly basis, I allow myself a little extra during the holidays and I also think it makes for a wonderful gift.  Personally I find it much more touching to get a gift that somebody took time out to make rather than get a gift gard or some other no name present. Then again, it’s also the thought that counts …

You can flavor the caramels with chocolate, vanilla, cardamom and anything else you desire… I decided to just make them plain this time and topped them with some coconut flakes and walnuts.  Yum!

For the below recipe you will need 2 sauce pans; a smaller 2 quart pan (2 liters), and a larger 4 quart (4 liter) pan., as well as a candy thermometer or an instant thermometer you can read the temperature of the sugar mixture. This is important for the success of the recipe!  Here’s my candy thermometer at work:

candythermometer

VEGAN CHRISTMAS CARAMELS

1 x 13 oz (about 400g) can full fat coconut milk

4 tablespoons vegan butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup (3.5 dl) organic sugar

1 cup (2.5dl) organic light brown sugar

heaping 1/3 cup (1 dl) organic light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla pasta

Directions:

Dress an 8×8  baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some paper hanging over the edges. Brush the paper with a little oil and set aside.

Heat the coconut milk, butter, and salt in the 2-quart saucepan until the butter melts. Remove from heat.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in the larger 4-quart saucepan, and stir until the sugar is blended in and you have a thick grainy paste.  Clip the instant-read thermometer to the side of the pan so that the heat sensor is immersed in the sugar. Don’t stir the sugar after this point.  (Note:  The sugar will bubble up and increase in volume when you add the cream which is why you use a larger pan.)

Place the pot with the sugar mixture over medium to medium-high heat.  Let the sugar syrup come to a boil without stirring.   When the syrup reaches anywhere between 250°F and 325°F (125-165 degrees Celcius), turn off the heat and carefully pour in the coconut milk-butter mix while whisking. Once it has been added, return the pan to medium-high heat and let the caramel come to a boil without stirring.   Remove from heat when caramel reaches about 245-250 Fahreneheit (120-125 degrees Celcius) and quickly whisk in the vanilla before pouring the caramels into the prepared baking pan.

Place the caramels aside for at least a couple of hours or overnight.  Once the caramels have cooled down, you can cover the pan.  When the caramels have set you can remove it from the pan and peel off parchment paper and using a sharp knife, cut into small squares.  Top with anything you desire. Store in an airtight container – keeps for about 2 weeks (but I doubt they will last that long!).

caramels2

caramels3

caramels5

3 Comments

  1. Jennifer Bliss

    Way to go on the vegan caramels!!!!

    Reply
  2. Kirsten

    I have attempted the recipe and we’ll see how it sets but wanted to ask: what is the water measurement? Were there supposed to be two types of sugar or should one of those been the water?

    Reply
    • Sunny

      Hi Kirsten – it’s supposed to be 1/4 cup water and yes both sugars are to be added. It will be watery at first but it will set after a couple of hours. Technically you can do fine without any water too so if you didn’t add any you’lø be fine. Let me know how it works out!

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin It on Pinterest

Arctic Grub
candythermometer
caramels2
caramels3
caramels5
My Norwegian Bread Baking course is opening next week, and I’m busting all the myths that might be holding you back from bread bliss. Swipe through to read more! 

Have you ever tried making Norwegian bread before? 

Drop a comment and let me know how it went! If you haven’t tried yet, what’s holding you back? I’d love to know.

Click the link in bio or comment VIP to join the VIP waitlist and get early access + a special bonus when enrollment opens!

#NorwegianBread #HomeBaking #BreadMaking #FoodFromScratch #SlowFermentation #BakingCourse #NordicBaking #HealthyBread”
#arcticgrub
𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 🙅‍♀️”

Tired of being told bread is the enemy? Spoiler: it’s not the bread—it’s WHICH bread.

This isn’t your sad grocery store sandwich loaf. 

This is Norwegian seed bread. THE. REAL. DEAL. 👊

Swipe through the below photos to see why this bread is actually your body’s BFF ➡️

And the FLAVOR? 

We’re talking next-level bread experience. 

That nutty richness from toasted seeds. 

The subtle tang from slow fermentation. 

The deep earthiness of whole grains. 

Once you taste this, that flavorless white foam masquerading as bread will never satisfy you again.

Want to learn how to make this life-changing loaf yourself? 

Waitlist for my Norwegian Bread Baking course is NOW OPEN!

Early birds get a secret VIP bonus you won’t want to miss!

Comment VIP to get the link for the waitlist and be the first to know when doors open and be eligible for the free bonus!

 #NorwegianBread #RealFood #NutritionMyths #wholegrainbread #bakebread #onlinebreadbakingcourse #norwegianrecipes #arcticgrub
There’s nothing quite like the comfort of traditional 𝒔𝒎ø𝒓𝒃𝒓ø𝒅 topped with pickled herring.

It’s the ultimate Nordic flavor experience!

Capture the essence of classic sild (herring) while bringing a fresh contemporary Norwegian taste to your table with my 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 “𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠” 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐝.

Drawing on my experience at Manhattan’s Aquavit restaurant, this recipe balances the three crucial elements of traditional sild: acid, salt, and sweetness.

The magic happens when my secret substitute for herring is transformed through careful marination, creating that distinctive texture we associate with pickled herring. 

Combined with earthy roasted beets, crisp green apple, and a creamy mustard dressing, this salad delivers Norwegian cuisine’s distinctive complex flavors.

Get the recipe link for this salad in my bio 🙂

This salad shines as part of a traditional 𝘴𝘮ø𝘳𝘨å𝘴𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥 and 𝘬𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥 or as a stand-alone 𝘱å𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘨 for your daily bread. 

I particularly love this salad on Norwegian 𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐛𝐫ø𝐝.

Recipes for this ‘cabin loaf’ are hard to come by but I share my special recipe in my 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞, which will be relaunching later month. 

Get on the VIP list for early access to the course and special perks!  Comment VIP to get the link! 🍞🥖

#norwegianbreadcourse #norwegianrecipes #veganbeetandherringsalad #nordicplantbasedkitchen #veganizingscandinavianfood #arcticgrub
𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲! 

Today we celebrate the strength, resilience, and creativity of women everywhere, especially those who have shaped Norwegian food culture through generations.

I share quotes from Pippi yearly on this day, and I especially love this one: “𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒂, 𝒏𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 𝒎𝒆.”

Like the untamed sea, women’s contributions to our culinary traditions have been powerful, boundless, and essential. 

From grandmothers passing down secret family recipes to innovative female chefs redefining Nordic cuisine today.

What’s your favorite dish passed down from a strong woman in your life? 

Share in the comments below!

#InternationalWomensDay #WomenInFood #NorwegianCuisine #PippiLongstocking #WomensEmpowerment #ArcticGrub
Have you ever wondered what happens when you combine the earthy warmth of Norwegian root vegetables with the bright, tangy zip of dill pickles? 

Let me introduce you to my Broccoli Dill Pickle Soup, inspired by Norwegian traditions and Eastern European cuisine.

This soup is a celebration of Norwegian ingredients—abundant broccoli that thrives in our cold climate, hearty root vegetables, and fresh dill—transformed into a vibrant green bowl of comfort perfect for chilly winter days.

Now you might be thinking “Dill pickles in soup? I don’t think so.”

But trust me. Dill pickles and their brine add depth to this soup making it truly unforgettable (in the best possible way!).

Rich, satisfying and completely plant-based- this soup comes together in 30 minutes and goes perfectly with a slice (or two)of homemade Norwegian seeded whole-grain bread...

By the way if you want to learn how to make the most authentic. delicious Norwegian bread, be sure to get on my wait list for when my best-selling online Norwegian bread course opens later this month...

Get both links in bio or comment “DILL PICKLE” to get all the info sent to you!

#broccolisoup #dill #norwegianrecipes #nordiccomfortfood #vegansouprecipes #arcticgrub #soupandbread
🇳🇴 FASTELAVN IS THIS WEEKEND! 🇩🇰 

Time for the most irresistible Nordic treat you’ll ever taste - fastelavnsboller! 

These heavenly cardamom-spiced buns filled with vanilla cream and berry jam are a centuries-old tradition I simply can’t get enough of. 

In this week’s new blog post, I’m sharing dairy-free versions  of both the Norwegian and Danish versions of fastelavnsboller that are just as pillowy-soft and decadent as their conventional counterparts.

Click the link in bio or comment CREAM BUNS to get the recipes and discover why even professional chefs struggle to stop at just one! 

🇳🇴🇩🇰

#Fastelavn #NordicBaking #FastelavnsBoller #ArcticGrub #vegancreambuns #NorwegianTraditions #Nordicrecipes