Caramel Slice | Easy, Classic Australian Dessert Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Where is the caramel slice from? ›

The first known caramel slice recipe appeared in the Australian Women's Weekly in October 1970 under the name caramel shortbread. Scotland understood how amazing caramel shortbread was, because a couple of decades later, the recipe became popular there under the name millionaire's shortbread.

Sweetened condensed milk - Do not use skim (low fat), caramel will not set. Also ensure you use sweetened condensed milk (thick sweet milk) that comes in cans, NOT evaporated milk.

Take your slice out of the fridge for 30 minutes before you cut it into pieces. This will allow the chocolate to soften slightly before cutting. Use a small serrated knife to score straight lines through the chocolate layer. Then use a large flat knife to gently press down through the caramel and base layers.

Try milk instead.

If you don't want to make a special trip to the store, you can use whole milk with an extra tablespoon of butter in place of the heavy cream. It may not be quite as thick, but it will work in a pinch!

Most believe caramel was created more than 1,020 years ago in 1000 AD by Arabs mixing sugar and water to create a crystallized liquid. Funny enough, the original caramel was not believed to be enjoyed as a sweet treat but rather used as a beauty product.

What Is Caramel? Caramel is white granulated sugar that's been heated slowly to 340 degrees Fahrenheit. This gradual heating process breaks down the sugar's molecules and creates a deep golden brown color and rich flavor.

Alternatively, you can mix in water with cornstarch or flour to thicken the sauce. If you're using cornstarch, add 1 tablespoon each of water and cornstarch for every cup of caramel sauce.

If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough. Again place the caramel back into a sauce pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and heat to 244°F. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test with a cold water test. Details on how to use this method can be found here.

Refrigerate until cooled and hardened. (Best if you refrigerate them overnight, or for several hours. They will be easier to cut and wrap). The caramel will seem hard in the fridge after they're set, but they should be soft at room temperature.

Too much water: A caramel sauce recipe might call for brushing the sides of the pan with cold water to prevent sugar crystals from forming. That water will end up in the caramel itself, so if you've added too much it might result in a thin caramel sauce.

Why don't you stir caramel? ›

Like dry caramel, you want to gently move the sugar mixture in that same side-to-side paintbrush-like fashion until the sugar dissolves. Then, as soon as the mixture comes to a boil, it should not be stirred, as the agitation can cause crystallization.

Add Moisture: If the sugar is melted but you still see a few crystals- sometimes adding some liquid like water or heavy cream to the mixture can help dissolve any sugar crystals that have formed and promote a smoother texture.

Heat the cream first before adding to the caramelized sugar.

Adding cold cream to the very hot caramel will cause it to seize and clump. Warming the cream first will allow it to incorporate more easily.

Most of the time, people cook caramel by heating up regular or brown sugar until it turns into a smooth and creamy substance. However, you can also make caramel out of sweetened condensed milk, creating the same great sauce with a unique, extra-sweet kick.

The heat of the caramel will melt the butter and create even more wonderful flavors. Finally, after the butter has melted, we add heavy whipping cream. This will allow the mixture to be loose enough to be used as a sauce.

caramel, candy substance obtained by boiling sugar to or beyond approximately 240 °F (115 °C), at which point its mass takes on a slightly yellowish colour and pleasantly burnt smell.

The first recorded recipe for caramel ice cream appeared in a cookbook called “The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy” by Hannah Glasse in 1747. Her recipe called for cream, sugar, and caramelized sugar to be churned together in a hand-cranked ice cream maker.