Fall is in full swing and with it are all the fall flavours. October is also cannabis harvest season, so we combined the best of both worlds. These are the soft, chewy, weed-infused caramels you never knew you needed.
Buttery, creamy, and weedy—these caramels will be the only weed-infused caramel you’ll ever need. We promise this will be your go-to recipe when you want some incredible autumnal weed-infused sweets.
Why make weed-infused caramels?
Must we even validate this question with a response? Why not? As temperatures drop, the need for something soft and sweet rises. These caramels pair well with any fall activity or autumnal nibbles. Think caramels with apple pie, on some roasted chestnuts, or with a cup of cocoa. A cozy cannabis caramel fits right in.
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Cooling: 4 hours
- Total time: 4 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 36 pieces
Nutritional information
- Serving Size: 1 caramel
- Calories 129
- Fat 5.7 g
- Saturated 3.6 g
- Unsaturated 1.7 g
- Cholesterol 17 mg
- Sodium 32.1 mg
- Sugar 17.9 mg
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
- Pastry brush
- Parchment paper
- Your largest pot
- Oven mitts
Candy Thermometer
You’ll need a candy thermometer to make these cannabutter caramels to monitor the temperature. Most options, including glass bulb thermometers that attach to the edge of the pot to digital thermometers with probes, will work for making this infused caramel. Find them in any store that has a kitchen gadget section.
Pastry Brush
Using a pastry brush to keep the inside of the cooking vessel clean prevents crystallization, which can ruin the entire batch. Find pastry brushes in the gadget section of the grocery store, at Dollar Stores, and in the kitchen section of hardware stores. They are inexpensive and last for years.
Parchment paper
Parchment paper is a must-have for making weed caramels. We line the inside of the pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the finished caramel. Never use wax paper for candy making—the heat of the cooked sugar will melt the wax off the paper and ruin the caramels.
We also wrap the finished weed caramels in 3×3 squares of parchment paper. The caramel slab can be cut into 36 pieces, though how you slice your caramels will determine the number of squares you will need.
How to make weed caramels
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (162.5 g) light corn syrup
- ¼ cups (60ml) water
- 1 ½ cups (375ml) heavy cream
- ¾ cup (175 g) cannabutter (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons regular butter
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the pan
Butter the bottom and sides of the pan with non-infused butter. Lay a sheet of parchment paper lengthwise in the pan. Lay another sheet of parchment widthwise, making sure the sheets overlap in the corners. Lightly butter the parchment paper.
Step 2: Prepare the sugars
In a large saucepan, pour the sugar into a pile in the center of the pot. Pour the corn syrup over the sugar. Pour the water around the edge of the pot. Gently stir the sugar, syrup, and water together until the consistency resembles wet sand.
Step 3: Wash down the pan
Using a pastry brush thoroughly dipped in water, wash down the sides of the pot, pushing any remaining crystals into the liquid. Use a sideways painting motion to move any sugar/corn syrup residue into the base mixture. Wet the brush often and wipe the pot until the entire inside surface of the pot is clean.
Step 4: Boil the sugar
Attach the thermometer to the pot, making sure the base of the probe is not touching the bottom of the pot. Cook the sugar mixture over medium heat, do not stir. Bring to a boil and continue to cook. Don’t rush this step or use high heat unless you want burnt caramel.
Step 5: Heat the cream
In another pan, slowly heat the heavy cream on low heat. When the cream begins to steam, add the cannabutter, vanilla, and sea salt. Stir to combine.
Step 6: Cooking the sugar
Monitor the sugar and temperature closely while it cooks. The colour should begin to change from clear to amber. When it gets to 320°F, slowly add the warm cream.
Adding cream to the mixture will create a blast of hot steam and the caramel will bubble up, vigorously. After the bubbling subsides, stir gently until combined. Continue to cook over medium heat without stirring until the temperature lowers to 240°F.
Step 7: Pour out the caramel
At 240°F, remove the pot from heat. Pour the weed caramel mixture into the prepared pan. Set the pan on a cooling rack and allow the weed-infused caramel to cool for at least 4 hours.
Step 8: Slicing the caramels
Once the caramel has cooled, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Butter a cutting board and knife with the melted butter. Remove the caramel slab from the pan, lifting it out by the edges of the parchment paper. Place the slab on the buttered cutting board, and remove the paper.
Using a long buttered knife, make a smooth cut through the entire slab. Continue cutting the slab into strips, and then into squares. Butter the knife between each cut.
How to store cannabis caramels
To ensure a long shelf life for your caramels, wrap each one individually in parchment squares. Place a caramel on the edge of the 3-inch by 3-inch square and roll away from yourself. Twist the ends to seal. Store in an airtight container in your refrigerator. And, of course, enjoy!