I've made a fair number of caramels in my day, and the ingredient lists for the recipes are generally quite similar... sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, butter, and spices. But then I saw Yewande Komolafe's recipe for Coconut Caramels in The New York Times and they are made with coconut cream instead of heavy cream. In fact, the recipe is vegan. I love coconut and happened to have a can of coconut cream in the pantry, so I was eager to gave the recipe a try.
The recipe seemed pretty straightforward. You cook coconut cream with sugar, corn syrup, and salt to 250 degrees; add ground ginger and cardamom (I used a mortar and pestle to grind my own); and pour the mixture into a pan with a layer of toasted coconut on the bottom. You sprinkle more toasted coconut on top and let the caramels set for a few hours at room temperature.
I had lined my pan with parchment and I didn't have any problems cutting the caramels with an oiled knife. But the recipe says you are supposed to coat the sides of each piece in toasted coconut, and my caramels were not sticky enough for the coconut to adhere to the cut surfaces.
I thought that these caramels tasted great; coconut and cardamom are a very nice combination and I especially loved the crunch from the toasted coconut on the top and bottom of each piece. But I didn't love the texture of the caramels themselves. They were a little hard (as opposed to soft and chewy) and after the first day I noticed that they were grainy. I used a candy thermometer when I was making the caramel, so I'm confident that I took them to the correct temperature. I wonder if adding a bit of butter might make them a little softer. But if I want coconut caramels in the future, I think I would just add toasted coconut to a different caramel recipe. For me, the texture of a caramel is paramount, and tinkering with a caramel recipe can have unpredictable results.
Recipe: "Coconut Caramels" by Yewande Komolafe, from The New York Times.
Previous Posts:
The recipe seemed pretty straightforward. You cook coconut cream with sugar, corn syrup, and salt to 250 degrees; add ground ginger and cardamom (I used a mortar and pestle to grind my own); and pour the mixture into a pan with a layer of toasted coconut on the bottom. You sprinkle more toasted coconut on top and let the caramels set for a few hours at room temperature.
I thought that these caramels tasted great; coconut and cardamom are a very nice combination and I especially loved the crunch from the toasted coconut on the top and bottom of each piece. But I didn't love the texture of the caramels themselves. They were a little hard (as opposed to soft and chewy) and after the first day I noticed that they were grainy. I used a candy thermometer when I was making the caramel, so I'm confident that I took them to the correct temperature. I wonder if adding a bit of butter might make them a little softer. But if I want coconut caramels in the future, I think I would just add toasted coconut to a different caramel recipe. For me, the texture of a caramel is paramount, and tinkering with a caramel recipe can have unpredictable results.
Recipe: "Coconut Caramels" by Yewande Komolafe, from The New York Times.
Previous Posts:
- "Holiday Party Sugar Confections [Cashew Caramels]," January 4, 2020.
- "Did You Know That Pistachios Float?: Cardamom and Pistachio Caramels," November 28, 2018.
- "It's Finally Fall!: Salted Pumpkin Caramels," November 2, 2018.
- "An Ottolenghi Christmas [Honey, Macadamia, and Coconut Caramels]," February 6, 2018.
- "Baked Sunday Mornings: Soft Candy Caramels,"December 16, 2012.
- "Wisconsin Wants You to Use More Heavy Cream: Spiced Apple Caramels," September 17, 2011.
- "A Lovely Little Bite: Salted Caramels," November 6, 2009.
- "A Salty-Sweet-Creamy Treat [Fleur de Sel Caramels]," December 18, 2008.
Comments