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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Would this work for a coating on caramel popcorn? I like the caramel popcorn in the christmas tins that has a crispy coating instead of a soft caramel and could never find the right recipe to recreate it
PUL Team - Oct. 5, 2024, 4:58 a.m.
Hey Celena, this could work as a crispy coating for caramel popcorn if you break the caramel shards into fine pieces, and then toss them with the popcorn. You might want to ensure the popcorn is warm to help the caramel stick. Keep in mind this will give a more brittle, candy-like texture compared to softer caramel coatings.
If you're interested in a more classic coatin, we have a caramel popcorn recipe on our website that you can find by searching for "Vegan Caramel Popcorn" 🤗
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lindasTEA - July 14, 2024, 10:58 a.m.
Love love love this easy recipe. It can make even a simple cake or dessert look just that little bit more special.
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Colin CRISP - April 30, 2024, 3:41 a.m.
HI, Can you use raw sugar to make the shards? Thanks
PUL Team - April 30, 2024, 8:44 p.m.
Hi there, Colin, yes you can! Just be sure it's completely dissolved before you let it caramelize to avoid grittiness 😊
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Heather - Dec. 10, 2023, 6:58 a.m.
Adding a tsp of rum extract made this the perfect topping for my bananas foster cake! Thank you so much!
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Lillie - Nov. 7, 2023, 8:43 a.m.
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!!
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Sally J - July 8, 2023, 10:15 p.m.
Recipe and directions were easy to follow and the caramel shards turned out delicious!!
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ROSE - May 21, 2023, 6:10 p.m.
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 🤗
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Dagmar - July 21, 2022, 10:57 p.m.
This was so easy to make and it worked great on your no-bake pecan&date brownies! My friends loved it.
PUL Team - July 22, 2022, 7:54 a.m.
We appreciate the kind words, Dagmar, and are so happy the recipe was enjoyed 😃
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Nathan - July 11, 2022, 9:54 p.m.
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
Would this work for a coating on caramel popcorn? I like the caramel popcorn in the christmas tins that has a crispy coating instead of a soft caramel and could never find the right recipe to recreate it
Love love love this easy recipe. It can make even a simple cake or dessert look just that little bit more special.
HI, Can you use raw sugar to make the shards? Thanks
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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