Caramel shards add instant sophistication and elegance to any dessert. It can be used to top cakes and cupcakes, crushed and sprinkled over chocolate bark, or mixed into hot chocolate.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan* on medium heat, add the sugar and water.
Avoid mixing with spoons or utensils as this can cause sugar crystals to form. If the mixture needs it, swirl the pan to help dissolve the sugar.
When the sugar is dissolved, turn the heat to medium-high and allow the mixture to bubble until it starts to turn golden, about 10 - 15 minutes.
Watch the sugar closely to avoid burning, as caramelization happens quickly. When caramelized to your liking, carefully** pour the liquid sugar onto the prepared baking tray.
Tilt the tray to spread the sugar out if desired for thinner shards.
Once completely cooled, use the back of a spoon to tap the caramel and break it into shards. For finer caramel dust, you can use a rolling pin to crush the caramel or place the pieces in a food processor and pulse a few times. Enjoy!
Notes
* A heavy-bottomed pan is thicker at the base, meaning it can distribute heat better than a thinner pan. As a result, the sugar will melt more evenly and is less likely to burn.
** Be extremely careful with this, as the melted sugar is incredibly hot.
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I put cinnamon in mine! I left mine as a whole circle and placed it over the top of a pumpkin pie like a crispy topping 😌 I burnt my first batch but the second turned out so beautiful!!
Is there a reason why mine didn't taste like caramel, only melted cotton candy? Like sugar and just, sugar.
PUL Team - May 21, 2023, 9:25 p.m.
Hey there, Rose, how disappointing! I suspect it may be due to the caramelization. If you give the recipe another try, you could let the mixture cook for a bit longer until it's a dark golden brown colour in step four. Hope this helps for now 🤗
How fun is this recipe! I just made it to top a dessert I was serving to guests. Instantly made it look more fancy and elegant. Gotta say, tapping the shard with a spoon and watching it shatter was super satisfying 👌
PUL Team - July 13, 2022, 5:32 a.m.
Aw we're so happy to hear the recipe was enjoyed, Nathan, thank you!
Discussion & Rating
Adding a tsp of rum extract made this the perfect topping for my bananas foster cake! Thank you so much!
I put cinnamon in mine! I left mine as a whole circle and placed it over the top of a pumpkin pie like a crispy topping 😌 I burnt my first batch but the second turned out so beautiful!!
Recipe and directions were easy to follow and the caramel shards turned out delicious!!
Is there a reason why mine didn't taste like caramel, only melted cotton candy? Like sugar and just, sugar.
This was so easy to make and it worked great on your no-bake pecan&date brownies! My friends loved it.
How fun is this recipe! I just made it to top a dessert I was serving to guests. Instantly made it look more fancy and elegant. Gotta say, tapping the shard with a spoon and watching it shatter was super satisfying 👌
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