Description
These Cranberry Pomegranate Caramels are tart, sweet, chewy and absolutely delicious! The vibrant red color is all-natural, and these make for a fantastic edible holiday gift. (They're also delicious dipped in dark chocolate!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups no sugar added pomegranate juice (freshly squeezed if possible. You'll need 3 large or 4 smaller pomegranates to yield 2 cups of juice)
- 2 cups no sugar added cranberry juice
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- Peel from 1/2 of an orange, pith removed
Instructions
- If making freshly squeezed pomegranate juice: Start by juicing the pomegranates. Add all of the pomegranate arils to a vacuum sealed bag or just a regular zip lock, remove all of the air, and gently roll with a rolling pin until you've "popped" all of the arils without crushing the seeds inside. Try to get as much juice out of each aril as possible.
- Strain the pomegranate arils through a fine mesh sieve. Press down on the arils with the back of a spoon to remove as much juice as possible.
- Add the pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, and orange peel to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to medium low. The mixture should be gently simmering and it should bubble up a lot when whisked.
- Let it reduce until there's about 1/2-3/4 cup of syrup. It's done when you can drag a spatula across the bottom of the pan and the syrup takes a moment to cover the exposed area again. It should be thick and should cover the back of a spoon.
- While the syrup is reducing, lightly spray an 8x8" pan and line with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper covers the sides of the pan so the caramel is easy to remove.
- Remove the orange peel with tongs, then add in both sugars, butter, and heavy cream. Keep the heat on medium low and stir until everything is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and increase the heat to medium. Bring to a boil.
- If you want a softer caramel, heat to 245˚F to 250˚F. For a harder caramel, heat to 255˚F to 260˚F (this is what we do). Once it reaches your desired temperature, remove from the heat, then immediately whisk in the vanilla and salt, and carefully pour into the prepared pan.
- Place in the refrigerator for about an hour and a half to cool and set. Once the caramels are set, remove the caramels from the pan and place on a cutting board. Keep the parchment underneath the caramels, otherwise if will stick to the cutting board.
- Using a knife lightly greased with cooking spray, cut the caramels into roughly 1/2" x 1 1/2" rectangles. Wrap the individual caramels in wax paper.
Notes
Pomegranate juice: We make freshly squeezed juice for maximum fresh flavor and a super vibrant color. If you use store-bought, just keep in mind that the color may be a bit more brown than red.
Wrap each caramel in wax paper to keep them from drying out. (This also prevents them from sticking together.)
Storage: Store the caramels in a closed container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the refrigerator for up to a month. Note that they harden up quite a bit in the fridge, so let them soften to room temperature before enjoying.
Freezer: For long term storage, you can place the wrapped caramels in a freezer bag and freeze for up to a year.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cool Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 pieces
- Calories: 172
- Sugar: 21.1 g
- Sodium: 68.7 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.3 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.3 g