These Fresh Strawberry Soft Caramels are made similar to apple cider caramels but with a summertime twist of fresh strawberries.
These Fresh Strawberry Soft Caramels are a great new way to use your strawberries.
So often people stick to the same things over and over again when they pick berries.
Usually jam.
Or pie.
And of course the classic strawberry shortcake.
Which are all good.
But I tend to pick A LOT of berries.
A few years ago when I had a ton of mixed berries left over I decided to juice them and experiment making them into caramels.
I figured you boil down apple cider to make caramels, why not other juices?
And so far every juice I’ve tried has been successful.
This year strawberries were late.
For while the rest of the country was experiencing dreadful heat, the Pacific Northwest was cool and raining.
Causing the berries to not ripen when they normally do.
The local farm down the street added an event this year.
Baby Animals and Berries.
Strawberries to be exact.
More and more the local farms are adding events in order to be profitable.
Which is fine by me because I love supporting our local farms.
Years ago it was just corn (and only on a few farms), pumpkins, and Christmas trees.
Then a few years ago many of them added a sunflower festival.
Then apple picking.
And now berries.
You could always go pick the berries but this is the first time there were other things to do.
If you don’t have a juicer you can just throw your berries into a large saucepan.
Mash them up with a fork and cook over medium heat for a few minutes.
Then press the strawberries through a fine mesh sieve.
Tips for making successful Caramels:
1. Get a good thermometer.
There are a lot of variety of thermometers out there for candy.
I prefer a digital laser thermometer (link to the one I use is in the recipe) but you can use the old fashioned kind that hand on the side of the pot.
2. When making candy, especially fudge but even caramels I like to use a superfine sugar.
If you don’t want to spend the extra money (like me) for the special sugar just put it in the food processor and pulse a few times.
3. Have all your ingredients out and measured before you start.
Candy making is about timing and if you have to measure out as you go there is a good chance things won’t turn out.
4. Be patient. This one is hard for people.
I taught Jr. High for years so I have a lot of patience.
Candy making takes time.
5. Don’t stir. You will want to but don’t do it.
6. Don’t scrape the bottom.
Often in the caramelization process the bottom of the pan will get a little more brown than you want.
So don’t scrape that into the pan.
Just let what caramel comes out…come out.
7. Don’t touch.
You may be tempted to stick your finger in there to see how it taste.
It tastes like burnt off finger if you stick your finger in there.
P.S. It’s a great day to order my cookbook.
Want More Caramel Recipes?
Fresh Strawberry Soft Caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh strawberry juice
- 4 TBSP unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 TBSP heavy cream
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a 2-quart saucepan, boil the strawberry juice until it reduces to 1/4 cup, this will take awhile. It took me 35 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, and spray it with cooking spray.
- Once the strawberry juice is reduced, lower the heat and add the butter, sugars, and heavy cream.
- Raise the heat and bring the mixture to 255F over medium-high heat. Use a candy thermometer to ensure the proper temperature.
- Immediately stir in the salt.
- Then, pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
- Let the mixture chill for 1 hour in the fridge.
- Slice it with a knife into bite-sized pieces.
- How many caramels it makes depends on how large or small you cut the pieces.
- Wrap in waxed paper.
Notes
I used THIS candy thermometer
Emily says
Those look so good!
Peabody says
Thank you! I hope you make them.