Milk caramel
8 servings
35 minutes
Milk caramel is a delicate treat from European cuisine, captivating with its velvety creamy flavor and subtle honey notes. Its history dates back to ancient times when confectionery masters sought to create the perfect blend of tenderness and sweetness. Thanks to the delicate balance of cream, butter, and honey, it achieves a soft yet firm texture that melts in the mouth, leaving a pleasant aftertaste. This is not just a sweet; it's a refined pleasure perfect for a cozy evening with a cup of coffee. Caramel can be used as a standalone treat, dessert decoration, or even as a base for candies with nuts and chocolate. The simplicity of preparation makes it accessible to everyone, while adding vanilla gives even greater depth of flavor.
1
We put all the ingredients in a saucepan. I used powdered sugar, but you can use regular sugar; it's not critical. (If you use brown sugar, consider this while waiting for the desired color). If you don't like honey, replace it with glucose syrup, agave, or something similar.
- Powdered sugar: 500 g
- Butter: 50 g
- Honey: 120 g
- Vanilla: to taste
- Cream 30%: 500 ml
2
Next, place the saucepan over medium heat and wait. We are interested in the moment when the butter melts and all the ingredients combine.
- Butter: 50 g
3
And now the most interesting part. If you were mixing the ingredients before, stop now. Just observe the process. If you have a thermometer, we need to get the caramel temperature to 122-123 degrees. If you like it bitter and hard, it becomes a killer filling at 125-128 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, you have two options. The first is to trust your eye. The color of the caramel should be like in my final photos. The second is to drop a bit of caramel into cold water and roll it into a ball with two fingers - if the ball is elastic and rolls well (not sticking) - it's ready.
- Powdered sugar: 500 g
- Honey: 120 g
- Cream 30%: 500 ml
4
Pour the caramel into a parchment-lined mold. Anything with edges will do here. The height should be about 1-1.5 cm; don't make it taller.
- Powdered sugar: 500 g
- Butter: 50 g
- Honey: 120 g
- Vanilla: to taste
5
After about 3 hours, the caramel should be placed in the fridge. It will set completely. After that, simply cut the caramel into candies with a wet knife. If it has hardened too much, heat the knife in boiling water, but not too much. The candies can be sprinkled with powder, almond flour, or salt — this is trendy now and, to be honest, tasty. I made the basic version for the first time.
- Powdered sugar: 500 g
- Honey: 120 g
- Vanilla: to taste
6
The caramel is very soft, completely safe for fillings. At the same time, a creamy-honey flavor is felt.