Many adults claim that caramel is a delicacy of children, although, they themselves are not averse to occasionally pamper themselves with a sweet product.
Despite the fact that today the shelves of shops are crammed with the diversity of the presented types and brands of caramel, there are still craftsmen who prepare caramel at home.
Home-made caramel is unique in that it includes a minimum of products that are also inexpensive and affordable.
In addition, regardless of the fact that the cooking process is not easy, it is quite fascinating.
Well, the result of an interesting process will be a delicious delicacy, which you will not buy at the store.
Homemade Caramel - General Cooking Principles
Caramel, cooked at home, may differ in taste, shape and texture.
The main ingredient of the product is sugar, and depending on the additional ingredients are regulated the taste of caramel.
For example, soft caramel can be prepared on the basis of milk, cream, sour cream with the addition of cocoa, coffee, chocolate.
It is permissible to add fruit or berry extracts to hard caramel in order to obtain an appropriate taste and aroma.
The shape of the finished caramel depends on the molds in which the product has to be cooled, for lack of special shapes, it is permissible to use any suitable container - small creamers, a base for making ice, and even ordinary spoons.
The texture of the product can be soft, hard, crispy, viscous, liquid - this moment depends on the technology and the time of preparation.
All sorts of subtleties, interesting recipes, tips and tricks that we have tried to collect for you in this article will help you discover the fascinating process of cooking caramel at home.
Recipe 1. Soft caramel at home
Soft caramel for this recipe is soft and delicate, slightly volatile. Due to such properties, the delicacy is ideal not only as an independent sweetness, but also as an addition to any desserts. Ingredients:
• 120 grams of sugar;
• 80 grams of cane sugar;
• 120 grams of butter;
• 250 ml of cream 20%;
• 120 ml of corn syrup.
Cooking Method:
1. Put two kinds of sugar in a saucepan with a thick bottom or stew-pan.
2. Add the diced butter, pour in the syrup and cream.
3. Expose the mass to a slow fire.
4. Tomim, constantly stirring, until the sweet mixture warms up to 120 degrees. Check the temperature of the product can be a kitchen thermometer. If you do not have a device that is so necessary in the kitchen, you can check the temperature of the caramel as follows: Take a container with cold water, drop a drop of caramel into it, if you have a hard, round ball - the caramel is ready.
5. Pour the finished product into the mold, covered with oiled baking paper, leave for 10-12 hours, covered with a bag or piece of gauze.
6. Frozen soft caramel out of the form, cut into any shapes or simple cubes.
Recipe 2. Milk and coffee caramel at home
Surprisingly tender caramel with a dense, viscous structure, you will definitely like it. You can not add coffee by making ordinary milk caramel without flavorings.
Ingredients:
• 100 grams of sugar;
• 70 grams of butter;
• 60 ml of 33% cream;
• 1 tbsp. instant coffee.
Cooking Method:
1. Expose the cauldron with sugar on a slow fire, wait until the sugar is dissolved, turning into a golden syrup.
2. Add chopped butter, cream and coffee.
3. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Caramel should be homogeneous, pleasant golden-brown color.
4. Pour the caramel into the oiled molds, cool. You can pour into one large form, then the products will need to be simply cut with a sharp knife into smaller pieces.
5. We pack each caramel into parchment paper so that the delicacy does not stick together.
Recipe 3. Candy caramel at home
Probably, there is no such person who in childhood would not prepare lollipops. Why not remember a great time and prepare a sweet treat for yourself and loved ones.
Ingredients:
• granulated sugar.
Cooking Method:
1. Put a dry frying pan on the stove, warm it up.
2. Expose the minimum fire, add sugar. The amount of granulated sugar depends on the size of the frying pan: 5-8 spoons will suffice for a small pancake;
3. Continuously stirring, we wait for the complete dissolution of all the sugar granules. It should make a viscous syrup of a light brown color.
4. Pour the candy caramel into prepared oiled molds, wait for the sweet to cool completely.
5. If you do not have molds, you can pour liquid into a saucer, spoons and other handy utensils.
Recipe 4. Sour cream caramel at home
Soft and tender sugar and sour cream-based caramel will be a great alternative to various sweets that you often use for breakfast as a basis for sweet sandwiches. Sour cream caramel, applied to roasted toasts, will appeal not only to children, but also to adults.
Ingredients:
• 150 grams of sour cream;
• 20 ml of water;
• 100 grams of sugar.
Cooking Method:
1. Heat a small saucepan or frying pan over high heat, add sugar, pour in water. Continuously stirring, bring the mass to a boil.
2. Boil the syrup, stirring for two minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
3. Add sour cream in small portions into sugar syrup, mix thoroughly.
4. Put the pan with a sweet mass on a low fire. Not allowing the mass to boil, heat it.
5. Pour the finished caramel into prepared forms.
6. It is necessary to store this delicacy in the refrigerator, no more than five days.
Recipe 5. Mint caramel at home
Delicious refreshing caramel is prepared quite quickly. Mint oil used in the recipe can be purchased at specialty stores. If desired, you can add natural food colors, they fall asleep in the process of cooking along with vanilla. Ingredients:
• three glasses of sugar;
• glass of water;
• 10 ml of lemon juice;
• 5-6 drops of concentrated peppermint oil;
• two pinches of vanilla.
Cooking Method:
1. Pour sugar in thick-walled dishes, pour in water.
2. We expose on a weak fire, stirring, wait, when the sugar is completely dissolved and a sweet syrup is formed.
3. Pour the vanilla, soak on the stove for another minute.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and pour the droplets of mint oil and lemon juice into the sweet mass.
5. Caramel mass mix and pour into oiled forms.
6. If desired, we stick in special skewers, toothpicks or ordinary matches with a torn off head.
7. Remove the ready-made, cooled caramel from the molds and wrap in plastic bags or baking paper.
Recipe 6. Chocolate caramel at home
Delicious chocolate caramel made from natural ingredients will surely please you and your family.
Ingredients:
• 100 grams of sugar;
• 50 grams of honey;
• 80 grams of butter;
• 100 grams of chocolate;
• 40 ml of milk.
Cooking Method:
1. Mix sugar with liquefied honey, milk and butter, cut into small pieces.
2. Put the mixture in the pan, stirring slowly, simmer on low heat for 3-5 minutes. The mass should be slightly to seethe and acquire a soft brown tint.
3. Add the melted chocolate, continue to simmer for about 5 minutes, not forgetting all the time to interfere with the preparing caramel.
4. Pour the finished product into the oiled form.
5. Let cool, cut into squares or rectangles.
Recipe 7. Caramel for cakes at home
Ideal caramel for impregnation of biscuit, honey cakes. Prepares quickly, it turns out delicious. In addition, such caramel can be eaten just like that, its consistency is pleasant, porous - you will like it.
Ingredients:
• 220 ml of 33% cream;
• 60 grams of butter;
• 60 ml of water;
• a pinch of salt;
• 180 grams of sugar.
Cooking Method: 1. Put up on a weak fire pot with water and sugar.
2. Stirring, wait for the ingredients to turn into sugar syrup.
3. Heat up, but do not boil, cream in another saucepan, pour them into a syrup with a neat thin stream.
4. Add butter and a pinch of salt, mix thoroughly, remove the caramel from the fire.
5. Pour into oiled forms, cool.
How to make caramel at home - tricks and useful tips
• If you are ready to cook hot caramel, whether it is soft or lollipop, dip some apples, citrus fruits, nuts or dried fruits, you will have a wonderful new dish.
• Caramel prepares quickly, so prepare all the utensils necessary for the process in advance.
• Ready caramel, try not to move away from the stove, otherwise the mass can burn.
• Whatever caramel shapes you use, lubricate them with unscented oil so that the finished product is better off.
• Soak the dishes: pots, spoons and other immediately after cooking, otherwise the caramel will grab and wash it will be incredibly difficult.
• To make ready-made caramel easy to cut into squares or any other shape, you need to mark the lines with a knife when the treat is even hotter. Then it will only break it.
• Inserting sticks into drenched forms, you will get caramel on sticks like modern chupa chups or old roosters.
