Chocolate covered caramel candies

Valentine's Day was upon us.  I was craving chocolate covered caramels like nobodies business.  A few months back, my friend had bought her and I a chocolate and caramel making class gift certificate.  We watched and learned the secrets to making delicious candies.  And then it hit me...
Could I make this vegan?  I wasn't sure but since the urge to eat caramel was taking over my mind and soul, I figured I had better get cracking at it and see.  To my delight, and the other sweet valentine's in my family, it did!

Chocolate covered caramels
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned coconut milk (the kind with a thick layer of cream on top)
1/4 cup corn syrup
2 cups vegan chocolate
sea salt or lavender sugar or both

Heat pan really hot over stove. Add 1/8 c sugar and as it starts to bubble and brown, stir.  Once melted, add another 1/8 cup sugar and repeat process until all sugar is liquefied.  Add corn syrup and stir again until bubbly.  You are looking for a nice caramel color.  Add coconut milk slowly and stir until all is incorporated.  Be careful of spitting, hot sugar.
After all cream has been added, cook and stir once in awhile until candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees or almost hard ball stage, then remove from heat.
Pour into a tin foil lined and greased 8x8 or 9x13 pan. Let cool.
In a double boiler, melt chocolate.  Cut caramels into squares and dip.   Put dipped caramels onto tin foil, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt or lavender sugar and refrigerate.  When you are ready to serve, serve at room temperature.

Vegan Cranberry Pecan Brittle

The Holidays are upon us.  As I was cooking up some cranberries for some Cranberry Fudge (non vegan) I was about to make for Thanksgiving, I ended up with a lot of left over cranberry juice and I had an Epiphany.  I was wondering if I could turn these leftovers into a nice vegan candy brittle for my daughter.  It was worth a try and it was better than tossing out the remnants.  I do apologize however, had I know this would work, I would have taken photos all along the way.  But I'll try and explain it well enough.  I hope you enjoy this because we sure did.

 

Vegan Cranberry Pecan Brittle Recipe:

 

12 oz bag fresh cranberries

1 1/4 Cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup water

3/4 chopped pecans

2 tbsp vegan butter

1tsp baking soda

sugar to sprinkle

 

Start by preparing a cookie sheet with tin foil lightly sprayed with cooking oil spray.  In a medium pan over med-high heat, boil water,  only 1 cup sugar and cranberries for about 30 minutes letting the water start to reduce.   The cranberries will start to soften and look like the photo below.  Remove the cranberries.  (You won't need them so feel free to put them in any other recipe like fudge, ice cream, stuffing, etc.)

 

 

 

Boil your mixture until it reduces to half.  This will be about 15 minutes or longer.  Just stir every once in awhile. Once reduced, add corn syrup, remaining 1/4 sugar and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the pecans and cook using a candy thermometer.  You will be stirring for quite awhile until it registers 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This will be hard ball stage where you can also test by putting a bit of the syrup into ice cold water.  If it is brittle, it's done.   Once it's done, remove it from heat and add the butter stirring quickly, then the baking soda. It will turn a light color and immediately pour onto the prepared foil.  Using two forks, spread it apart quickly, sprinkle lightly with sugar and allow it to cool. Once cooled, break into pieces. Enjoy!

 

 

This little treat is a perfect fall or Christmas candy and would make great homemade gifts too. You could even add a little tag reading.. "I cran-berry wait to see you this holiday."  Hee hee..hoo hoo hoo, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!