My weakness in the world of sweet treats is, and has always been, caramels. I’ve rarely met a caramel I didn’t love and I’ve never met one I didn’t like, but I rarely make them myself because, well, they’re a pain in the tush to make… Or at least I thought they were.
But what if I told you that you could create an amazing, luscious, creamy, decadent, mouthwatering caramel in about 6 minutes. What if I also told you that this can be done in what was, until today at least, my least favorite kitchen tool; The microwave oven.
Yep. I made these bad boys in the microwave and I’ll happily do it again without any guilt or shame whatsoever.
These caramels are perfect. They are awe inspiring. The flavor is something between a standard butter caramel and dulce de leche with just a hint of saltiness as a back-note. They are amazing.
But be warned: Whether it’s intentional in the recipe, because of the climate here in Alaska or because I did something wrong, these are the gooiest caramels I have ever seen. As an illustration of that, in the picture below the caramels were frozen and resting on a frozen board under an open window pouring 29 degree air onto the counter and they were still completely flexible.
I’m not saying that’s a bad thing however. It makes this the perfect caramel to use as a dipping sauce or as a coating for apples. Warmed just slightly this recipe makes the a great topping for pies or ice cream. In fact, I moved all of it to a container so that we can use it to coat apple slices later tonight.
I think that I may have had a bit too much corn syrup in the mix, but I’m no confectioner. If any of you can suggest a way to get a slightly firmer caramel, we’d love to hear it!
What are your thoughts? Are you a caramel lover like I am, or are you more into the deeper flavors of chocolate? Do you have a microwave caramel recipe that works a bit better as an individual treat? Let us know in the comments.
Rich, creamy, decadent caramels in just over 6 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt (approximate)
Method
- Combine all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave on high for 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and sugars are melted completely. If mixture looks grainy, microwave in 1 minute intervals, stirring thoroughly until mixture is creamy and has no lumps.
- Stir into a well greased 8x8-inch dish and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle sea salt over mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Cut, wrap in wax paper and store refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 3 weeks.
- Share and Enjoy!
What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:
As I said, this particular batch never quite firmed up as much as I would have liked, so I’m going to work on tweaking the amounts until I get one that I can send as a gift. Other than that, my suggestion is GRAB A SPOON!
Links to other recipes like this:
- Microwave Caramel Popcorn, from Barbara Bakes
- Pears with Crackling Caramel Sauce Microwave Recipe, from Joy of Desserts
- The CURSE of the CARAMEL CORN, from the Amateur Gourmet
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I am in love with all things salted caramel Jerry.
Bellini,
This stuff is sugar crack. Seriously. The only way I can think to make it even more sugar crack like is to add vanilla or rum extract…. or both.
This looks dangerous…..ly delicious! This is why I shouldn´t have a microwawe – or exactly why! ;) I too love caramel and the sweet/salt-combo! Have you tried with peanuts?
Oh yes. Yes it is. And no, this was my first attempt at this recipe, but I’ll be back for more soon enough. the Holidays are upon us, after all, and now I don’t have to buy caramel for recipes, so I’ll use more of it!
Microwave ovens dont always cook at the same intensity. You may just need to cook it longer, maybe 15 seconds or 30???
I’m thinking more like an extra 2 to three minutes. I wouldn’t doubt that wherever I saw this first, it was tested on a 1000 or 1100 watt oven. I’m pretty sure that ours is an 800 watt, as I really never cared to buy a good one. Personally, I only used it to reheat things and make popcorn before now.
I just made these and boy have you given me some dangerous knowledge! I love the taste and hey, it’s a quick easy way to get your fixed. They are fantastic and couldn’t be easier. Now I need to control myself and not eat the entire batch! :) Thanks a million for the recipe.
That’s what we’re here for, to give others inspiration to try something new. I’m glad you liked it!
I have a similar recipe for microwave caramels that I got from my mother-in-law. It is one of the few recipes I like that a) uses the microwave, b) includes sweetened condensed milk, and c) came from my mother-in-law. I have found that the longer you cook it, the harder they get. Think soft-ball stage vs hard-ball stage of candy-making. Yum!!
I’ve started to get that. I’m going to try these again in the next few days and see just how long it takes to get a standard “caramel” out of it and then push it all the way to brittle, with times marked and noted for the wattage of my microwave.
These would make a wonderful gift!
I love caramel, but I’ve never ventured into salted caramels (despite many a recommendation)…maybe I’ll have to try these!
These look pretty awesome. Salted caramel is my weakness! If they were soft you may want to just nuke them a couple more minutes. I am soooo going to try this asap. I always have the stuff. Easy xmas gift idea ?!?!
Caramel used to be one of the things I feared making the most! The day I finally learned how to make it properly was both a good and bad thing…. it meant my caramel consumption went up exponentially!
The microwave looks like a much easier way to do things…
This is incredible! Thank you so much for sharing. I have a weakness for caramels too (which conflicts heavily with my fear of dentists, though I’ve never had a cavity) and these sound incredible, but even moreso because of the microwave technique. I hate dealing with heated sugars or fats, which is why I never deep-fry anything. It just takes so long and feels too dangerous. This method will be tested out as soon as my exams end!
Love caramel!! I also believe you need to cook a little longer. Peanut Brittle is another candy that’s super easy to make in the microwave.
I think you should have said “combine all ingredients EXCEPT SALT in a microwave safe bowl”.
store up to 3 weeks – hahaha. I’ll be lucky if it lasts 3 days! Love it. Thank you!
{ 1 trackback }