Herein I attempt to recreate a Wednesday night post-work recipe for coconut milk caramels.Why post-work? Because I realized our international fellows were finishing their rotations and the next day was their last day on duty.
Why coconut milk? Because that was possibly the only thing left in my fridge. The Silk "original" sweetened version because it's the only one I can find at the Korean grocery store down the block.
Added bonus: this recipe is what I like to call "fail-safe." Because you don't need a candy thermometer, just a good eye and a lot of patience. I suspect you can even make it while nursing a glass of wine, though 1) not me, I'd end up coated in kitchen napalm, and 2) I think I was motivated by sheer desperation, which is the true mother of invention, rather than alcohol.
What you will need:
2 heavy-bottomed saucepans, small to medium sized
1 loaf pan, lined with parchment paper
1 cup coconut milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup light corn (Karo) syrup
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Line your loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In one of your pans, bring coconut milk, butter, corn syrup, and sea salt to a low boil and stir until dissolved. Keep over low heat while you do your napalm-making.
To your other pan, add sugar and water and turn up the heat to about medium. Cook until the mixture turns thickened and bubbly and dark amber in color, occasionally scraping it off the sides of the pan with a silicone spatula if you value your pan.
Add your sugar mixture to your milk mixture, stirring constantly, and bring up to medium heat. Yes, you will form lumps. Yes, they will dissolve.
Continue to cook your caramel, stirring constantly, until it boils, thickens, and coats your spatula. Once it reaches the consistency of a thin custard (strings, rather than straight-up drips, off the spatula), cook another 1-2 minutes and then remove from heat.
Pour slowly into prepared loaf pan. Slowly to avoid napalming yourself, and also to allow the bubbles to settle.
Allow to cool to room temperature in a relatively non-humid place if possible. Because caramel is "approximately <5% water and extremely hygroscopic" (credit for that quote goes to my mad scientist boyfriend), it will act like a sponge on steroids. I used my (very much turned off!) oven since we're in the middle of a heat wave, but having cooled caramel on the kitchen counter in New York, I suspect most normal room climates should be reasonable.
When your caramel block reaches room temperature or you're really itching to go to bed because it's 11PM on a school night, stick it in the fridge to chill overnight (or at least 2 hours).The next day, break out the cutting board and a greased knife (any oil will do, including olive which is what I usually have lying around), cut a shit-ton of wax paper squares for wrapping, and then remove your caramel from the fridge and part it from the parchment paper.
Working quickly (mine started to get goopy at the 15-minute mark in 80+ degree Fahrenheit temperatures and 80% humidity so plan accordingly), cut candies into approximately 1-inch by 2-inch rectangles and wrap them in wax paper.
Serve to your favorite departing international fellows as a token of appreciation, along with the giant potluck feast resulting from EVERYONE deciding to bring food.
Makes approximately 40 candies. I think. One of these days I'll actually count it.
