The Great Caramel Jam

Caramel sauce is a magical thing. It only has four ingredients, but tastes nothing like the sum of its parts. 

We've been messing around with the idea of using a caramel sauce in our bakery for months. Do we fill a cupcake? Swirl it in a marshmallow? Layer it in a completely new dessert? Somehow it always found its way to the back burner. 

Then the cake-of-the-month happened

The cocoanut grove cake is a decadent chocolate cake, filled with our house-made coconut caramel sauce. Topped with toasted coconut and chocolate shreds and finished with a storm of cocoa & powdered sugar.

Good things come in pairs. 

Summer is here, and we were designing a new s'more for our line-up. The coconut caramel jam is layered into our newest dessert, the Seabright s’mores and whoa, is it coconutty, sticky and delicious.

What is caramel jam, anyways?

Caramel jam is similar to a caramel sauce in flavor, but it cools much thicker. It's perfect for smearing onto a piece of apple, sandwiching between cookies, or creating a thicker more solid caramel layer in a dessert. 

Caramel jam recipe

Our caramel jam is made with coconut cream, since we needed to use it in our vegan desserts too. It also tastes amazing with coconut cream. But this recipe works perfectly with cream and butter instead. Feel free to make the swap 1:1. 

You will need a candy thermometer, a heavy bottomed pan, and a fine mesh strainer. Don't be intimidated by all the steps here, it comes together fast and it's so worth it. 

The recipe for Amanda's tried and true Coconut Caramel Jam.

Ingredients:

1. 170 grams (1/2 cup) of glucose (don't run to the store, you can make this. See my note at the end)  
2. 250 grams (1 1/4 cups of sugar)
3. 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of coconut oil.
4. 200 grams (3/4 cup) coconut milk (make sure to use part of the fat solids from the top)

Directions:

1. Add both sugars into a heavy bottom pan, lid on.
2. Heat sugars on low until combined and liquid. Raise to medium-high and boil to 350°F.
3. Working quickly, stir in the oil carefully. Once melted and combined, gradually stir in the coconut cream.
4. Continue stirring to prevent scorching, and cook to 248°F.
5. Remove from heat at 248°F.
6. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heat proof jar or bowl.
7. Let it cool, this mixture is piping hot and needs some time.

Your caramel jam is ready to use! It can be stored in a covered container for 2 weeks. To soften, warm it over barely simmering water using a double boiler.

Here are a few ways to use this liquid gold:  * Smear it on a macaron or a cookie. * Pour it in top of your next batch of marshmallow crispy treats. * Use it to make caramel apples. * Add it to your next s’mores party table. * Use it as the bottom layer in a tart, a pie, a cheesecake, or an ice cream cake (increase cream amount by +60g)

A few tips before you set out on this caramel jam journey

1. Keep the kiddos out of the kitchen while you make this. The sugar gets to 350°F and things can sputter and spit.
2. Practice mise en place. Have your ingredients out and ready for action. Your ingredients should be measured and tools ready. 3. Say mise en place a few times and feel fancy.
3. Give some thought to where you'll use this delicious confection before you make it. It's easy to pour while warm.

Glucose Recipe

1 cup of water, 2 and 1/4 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, pinch of salt.

Place ingredients in heavy sauce pan, stir until everything is wet. Cover and heat on medium-high for 2 minutes. Remove lid and cook to 240°F. Careful, you don't want to disturb or stir the mixture after you remove the lid.

Remove from heat at 240°F and let cool for 15 minutes. Then use in caramel jam recipe above, or your next recipe that calls for glucose syrup.

I love caramel. If you do too - give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.