Keto Chocolate Covered Caramels

Keto Chocolate Covered Caramels are some of my favorite treats, so I was sad to only find Maltitol based ones in stores. Also with Valentine’s day around the corner I needed some! It’s was hard to find a recipe for low carb caramels that didn’t involve honey or some small amount of sugar. So I tried many combinations of sweeteners/ different recipes and finally found one that worked! So far of all the good sugar replacement I’ve only found Allulose (also I think Bocha Sweet) to not re crystallize when being melted into a syrup or for the different candy stages (hard ball, soft ball, hard crack etc…).

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup (50g) xylitol / Allulose syrup / more allulose

• 1 cup (145g) allulose (more info on allulose here) / xylitol

• 1 Tbsp (15ml) water

• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt // 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt

• 1/2 cup (125ml) heavy whipping cream // OR full-fat coconut cream (***3/4 cup for soft-when-chilled caramels)

• 3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter

• 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract

• (optional) 1/4 tsp (5ml) caramel flavoring // OR molasses (for more of a butterscotch flavor)

Instructions:

1. Melt together the butter, salt, and cream until hot but not boiling, then set aside.   2. Mix together the sweeteners and water until well mixed, then heat over medium heat until the water has all evaporated off and the sweetener mixture begins to turn a golden color (around 300F / 150C, even though is the “hard crack” stage for normal caramel, keep in mind that those temperature guides don’t accurately apply for allulose).   3. Next mix in the WARM cream and butter mixture, whisking well and then heating again until the caramel comes together and darkens to your preferred color and thickness (test the consistency of the caramel by dropping a tiny amount into a glass of ice water, waiting 15-20 seconds and then removing). Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and optional caramel flavoring. Pour immediately into the prepared container (if not using a flexible heat-safe silicone mold, I’d recommend lining your container with baking parchment or wax paper for easy removal once chilled). Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1-2 hours to firm up, then slice. Serve at room temperature.

The author made 12 servings, I made mine a bit thinner and made 23.

Chocolate Coating:

Ingredients:

• 126g of 55% Lilly’s baking chips (half the package)

• About 15g of cocoa butter.

I used the Alton brown method for tempering chocolate which can be found here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/microwave-chocolate-tempering-recipe-2107258.amp

The only difference is I used a lot more cocoa butter. Traditionally it is used to thin chocolate out for coating. The amount I used is an estimate because you might want it thinner or thicker, this was good for me. Otherwise follow his instructions. This is where you’ll use the thermal gun thermometer.

1. Place the chocolate in a 4-quart glass bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, and then stir with a clean spatula. Repeat 2 more times. Microwave on high for 15 seconds, and then stir. Repeat 2 to 4 more times or until the chocolate reaches 100 degrees F. Microwave on high for 10 seconds, and then stir. Repeat 5 more times or until the chocolate reaches 115 degrees F.

2. Remove from the microwave and cool by stirring occasionally until the chocolate reaches 95 degrees F. Add the cocoa butter and stir continuously until the cocoa butter melts and the chocolate cools to 90 degrees F.

3. Test the temper of the chocolate by spreading a small amount in an even layer on a metal surface set over an ice pack. It should set within 3 minutes and be shiny and streak free.

4. Maintain the 90-degree temperature by briefly heating the chocolate with a 10-second blast of warm heat from a hair dryer. Use immediately for dipping fruit, pretzels, cookies, etc.

I set up parchment, dipped the squares of chilled caramels using a fork, then using a knife took some excess off the bottom and slid it into the parchment To cool.

These are fine at room temperature like any other caramel.

Final Macros (as best I can do and assuming 23 pieces like me):

Fat: About 4.4g

Protein: .40g

Net Carbs: 2.1

The caramels themselves only have .14 carbs per piece, the chocolate is what ups it up. It might be less for the whole thing but I about if chocolate I started with divided by 23 plus .14 came to 2.1 net carbs. Although some chocolate never makes it to the candies this is best way to estimate. I also went with the dairy options not the coconut.

Please enjoy!