Dairy Free Caramels

I just posted a recipe for Mini Caramel Apples over at A Few Short Cuts.  Since I was making them my daughter wanted to know if I could make them dairy free.  Thank you allergies!  I did some searching and found this Dairy free caramel Recipe.

I made them with white sugar, but if I was going to make it again I would use light brown sugar to get the caramel color.  These are really good for being dairy free.  I am going to make another batch when I get some more Corn Syrup.

I have never made my own caramel before.  I was kinda scared.  As long as you have a candy thermometer and you follow the directions, they will turn out great!

Dairy Free Caramel

Ingredient proportions from The Glad Cow Cookbook

• 1 cup margarine*
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups soy or almond milk
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 t vanilla
• *Optional: Add 1 tsp salt if using unsalted margarine

-Line an 8 inch x 8 inch pan with parchment or cover a baking sheet with parchment and ready your apples and sticks. You can cover a few apples and then place the remaining caramel in any parchment lined container to set up and make candies. I use a loaf pan for the extra caramel when covering apples.

-Place the margarine, sugar, soy milk and corn syrup in a large saucepan (4qt capacity minimum)

-Bring ingredients to a boil stirring continually.

-Cook over medium-high heat while continuing to stir until candy reaches 248 degrees F. (243-5 for softer caramels)

-Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into lined baking pan. If coating apples then let allow the caramel to cool for a minute while still stirring and then start coating. After you coat the apples place them in the fridge or eat them as soon as they cool.

-Allow the caramel in the pan to cool completely. Snip into pieces using clean kitchen shears that you wipe or spray with oil (or slice with a knife). Wrap individually with waxed or parchment paper.

Variation: Cook to 230 degrees F for caramel sauce for ice cream/cake. Store in a covered container.

Makes ~100 pieces of caramel candy, will coat ~8-10 apples