Low-Fat Vanilla-Pistachio Caramels

After making my cream caramels, I decided it would be fun to experiment.  In particular, I was curious to know if the recipe would work with low-fat milk instead of cream.  Unfortunately, my adherence to the scientific method was somewhat lackluster.  Instead of introducing a single variable, I introduced two:  pistachios and low-fat milk.

These caramels were not as soft as the plain ones, but they were not altogether hard.  I suspect, though, that it was the chopped pistachios and not the absence of cream that made these caramels a little harder.  On the topic of taste, I’m happy to report that these caramels were just nearly every bit as wonderful as the ones with cream.  They lacked a little touch of the “creaminess” – for lack of a better word – that the originals had, but the difference is incredibly slight.

I’m happy to report, then, that these low-fat caramels were every bit as wonderful as the original cream caramels!

low-fat Vanilla-pistachio caramels

PREP TIME: Requires a few hours of cooling
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
YIELD: 16 to 20 Caramels

WHAT TO GRAB:
Vegetable oil
1 cup vanilla-sugar (recipe here)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup low-fat milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 or 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.  Lightly brush the paper with the vegetable oil.

2.  In a small pot, bring the milk, butter, and one teaspoon of the sea salt to a simmer, over medium heat.  Do not let it boil.  Once it has reached a simmer, turn off the heat, and set it aside.

3.  In a deep saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar.  Over medium-high heat, stir only until the sugar has dissolved.  Then allow the mixture to boil, without stirring, until the mixture is a warm, golden brown.  Watch very carefully, as the caramel can burn quickly toward the end.  (It can be helpful to use a wooden spoon and drip some of the caramel onto a white plate to gauge the exact color).

4.  When the sugar mixture is done, remove it from the heat and slowly add the butter-milk mixture to the sugar mixture.  Be careful because it will bubble up violently.  Stir in the vanilla.

5.  Return the mixture to the heat and cook over medium-low heat until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees (firm ball), about 10 minutes.  Finally, stir in the chopped pistachios.  Pour the caramel into the prepared pan.  (Don’t scrape the pot).  Refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.

6.  Remove the caramel from the refrigerator and allow it to come close to room temperature.  Pry the caramel from the pan.  On a cutting board, cut the square in half.  Using parchment paper, roll each piece of caramel into a tight 8- to 10-inch log.  Sprinkle the logs with sea salt.  Cut each log into 3/4-inch or 1-inch pieces.  Individually wrap each caramel in glassine or parchment paper, twisting the ends.  Store in the refrigerator or in an air-tight container.