ACTUAL Flavors- Caramel

Posted by chickiepea on August 23, 2010 · 4 Comments 

Sugar can wreak havoc with immunity, and we have cut the processed kind, but still do use local raw honey. We don’t miss sugar all that much, since pretty much anything can be made using honey as a substitute. I also recently added very small amounts of molasses and maple syrup if it’s something that needs a bit of a different flavor, and we seem to be fine with that too. It’s the white sugar that causes immediate and noticeable issues, not to mention whatever it is destroying on the inside!!

We’d been promising the girls ice-cream. Not the faux, quick kind that we usually make in the blender, which is something between ice-milk and a shake at best, but actual homemade ice-cream in the ice-cream freezer (we have a quick electric kind.) Twig has a little cookbook for ice-cream only, vintage 1985 and we all agreed that vanilla was the flavor to make… since it is Lil Pea’s preferred flavor and it seems to lend itself best to a sauce. Caramel or hot fudge? Caramel, we decided, since we have not had caramel in what seems like forever. I wasn’t sure it was do-able, but having seen a recipe a few months back for caramel made with honey, I decided to give it a try.

My worry in making the sauce was that instead of caramel, it would taste like honey. I’m not a huge fan of the flavor of honey, though I do prefer raw honey to the stuff (is it even honey? more on that later!) in the grocery store. I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome of the sauce, so much, in fact, that I decided to make iced caramel lattes for Twig and myself on the spot. It tasted like caramel, not at ALL like honey.

Because it was so delicious, I immediately starting thinking of posting about it, which led me to think about the fact that I could go, right now, to a local coffee chain and order the exact same thing I had just made, and pay about $7 for it, and it not even taste half so good, PLUS not be made of anything REAL.

We avoid “artificial flavors” but also “natural flavors” since they are made of corn, soy, or other modifications of food, often GMO. My latte did not lack flavor, but actually had MORE flavor, actual honest-to-goodness flavor. It took about 10 minutes to make, but wasn’t labor intensive and only used a measuring cup, whisk and a saucepan, so it didn’t destroy the kitchen. It’s not preserved, and made with cream, so it won’t last forever on a shelf someplace for my convenience, but it tastes so good that I doubt it would last that long around here anyway!

Now I’m thinking of the things I can put this on, which is not a good way to think when sugar is… let’s face it… sugar. After our ice-cream, I think I may have to make shortbread cookies later tonight for dipping, another latte in the morning, and by then it will probably be gone. If not, I’ll add a teeny-tiny little container of it to Goose’s lunch for dipping fruit on Tuesday.

Mmmmm… actual caramel.

Actual Caramel

Actual Caramel Sauce:
1 cup honey
1/4 c water
2/3 c heavy cream
1/4 c butter
1 1/2 tsp sucanat
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch of fine sea salt

Heat honey, sucanat, and water in saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Boil until mixture is deep golden, then remove to add cream and half of the butter and pinch of salt. Return to heat, simmer, and stir until slightly thickened. Add remainder of butter and vanilla.

As you can see, the girls could not wait for the ice-cream to freeze completely. It was still pretty darn yummy.

vanilla ice-cream with caramel

This is a LOT of sugar for us to eat in one sitting and we did end up with tummy aches. It may have been the addition of the bit of sucanat, but my guess is that it was just too much sweet for us to process all at once. We ate this after a rather hearty meal of barbecue chicken too. This is definitely a recipe for a special occasion only, at least for us.

Note: heating the raw honey, like in this recipe does kill the beneficial enzymes.

**This post has been entered into the blog carnival for Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays over at SimplySugarAndGlutenFree. If you are searching for new recipes, check it out!! There is always something delicious cooking there!**

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