Brewed espresso replaces water in this caramel base, concentrating bitter notes that balance the sugar's 340°F hard-crack stage perfectly.
Coffee Chewy Caramels
Indulge in these irresistible coffee-infused chewy caramels that offer a delightful burst of flavor with every bite! Made with rich, creamy butter and a splash of robust coffee, these treats are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth and caffeine cravings at once. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this sweet, homemade delight!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This caramel technique is pure 17th-century French confectionery craft, but infusing cream with whole coffee beans is a nod to Yemen's Mocha port traders who shipped beans to Europe—so really, you've got Ottoman trade routes shaking hands with Normandy's dairy farmers in one sticky, wrapped-up parcel that neither Louis XIV nor a Sanaa merchant would've seen coming.
Regional Twist
In Turin, confectioners would swap the heavy cream infusion for a double shot of espresso reduction and fold in hazelnut paste alongside the butter, turning this into a gianduja-caramel hybrid that owes more to Piedmont's nut groves than French sugar work.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 120 g butter (8.4 tbsp)
- 300 g heavy cream (10.6 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 60 g whole coffee beans (2.12 oz)
- 300 g sugar (1.5 cup)
📦Other(1)
- 250 g glucose syrup (8.82 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
958
Protein
2g
Carbs
127g
Fat
51g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Heat the cream until it just begins to simmer.
- 2
Add the whole coffee beans.
- 3
Cover and infuse for 20–30 minutes.
- 4
Strain the coffee-infused cream.
- 5
Cook the sugar and glucose until you get a golden caramel.
- 6
Gradually add the hot coffee-infused cream while stirring continuously.
- 7
Add the butter.
- 8
Cook to 119°C (246°F).
- 9
Pour into a frame and let set overnight.
- 10
Cut into pieces and wrap individually.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Infuse cream at 180-190°F (82-88°C) rather than a full boil because temperatures above 195°F denature coffee's volatile aromatic compounds and increase bitter extraction from prolonged contact with heat.timing180-190°F (82-88°C), 20-30 minutes
- ✓Add coffee-infused cream in 3-4 separate additions while maintaining vigorous stirring, waiting 10-15 seconds between each, because rapid cold cream addition drops the caramel below 300°F and causes crystallization and seizing.technique3-4 additions, 10-15 seconds apart
- ✓Cook your sugar-glucose base to 350°F (175°C) before adding cream—not the typical 320°F—because the higher Maillard reaction temperature compensates for cooling when cool cream is added, keeping you closer to your target 246°F endpoint.timing350°F (175°C) base, 246°F (119°C) final
- ✓Use a candy thermometer calibrated within ±1°F and clip it so the bulb sits 1 inch above the pan bottom, because the caramel's viscosity dramatically changes between 245-247°F—the difference between chewy and hard-set.equipment246°F (119°C) ±1°F, 1 inch from bottom
- ✓Stir butter in off-heat for 30-40 seconds after reaching 246°F, then immediately pour onto parchment, because continued heating causes emulsion breakdown and the butter's milk solids will separate, creating a grainy texture instead of silky chewiness.timing30-40 seconds off-heat before pouring
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Brewed espresso replaces water in this caramel base, concentrating bitter notes that balance the sugar's 340°F hard-crack stage perfectly.
Coffee Chewy Caramels
Indulge in these irresistible coffee-infused chewy caramels that offer a delightful burst of flavor with every bite! Made with rich, creamy butter and a splash of robust coffee, these treats are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth and caffeine cravings at once. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this sweet, homemade delight!
The Story
This caramel technique is pure 17th-century French confectionery craft, but infusing cream with whole coffee beans is a nod to Yemen's Mocha port traders who shipped beans to Europe—so really, you've got Ottoman trade routes shaking hands with Normandy's dairy farmers in one sticky, wrapped-up parcel that neither Louis XIV nor a Sanaa merchant would've seen coming.
Regional Twist
In Turin, confectioners would swap the heavy cream infusion for a double shot of espresso reduction and fold in hazelnut paste alongside the butter, turning this into a gianduja-caramel hybrid that owes more to Piedmont's nut groves than French sugar work.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 120 g butter (8.4 tbsp)
- 300 g heavy cream (10.6 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 60 g whole coffee beans (2.12 oz)
- 300 g sugar (1.5 cup)
📦Other(1)
- 250 g glucose syrup (8.82 oz)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
958
Protein
2g
Carbs
127g
Fat
51g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Heat the cream until it just begins to simmer.
- 2
Add the whole coffee beans.
- 3
Cover and infuse for 20–30 minutes.
- 4
Strain the coffee-infused cream.
- 5
Cook the sugar and glucose until you get a golden caramel.
- 6
Gradually add the hot coffee-infused cream while stirring continuously.
- 7
Add the butter.
- 8
Cook to 119°C (246°F).
- 9
Pour into a frame and let set overnight.
- 10
Cut into pieces and wrap individually.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Infuse cream at 180-190°F (82-88°C) rather than a full boil because temperatures above 195°F denature coffee's volatile aromatic compounds and increase bitter extraction from prolonged contact with heat.timing180-190°F (82-88°C), 20-30 minutes
- ✓Add coffee-infused cream in 3-4 separate additions while maintaining vigorous stirring, waiting 10-15 seconds between each, because rapid cold cream addition drops the caramel below 300°F and causes crystallization and seizing.technique3-4 additions, 10-15 seconds apart
- ✓Cook your sugar-glucose base to 350°F (175°C) before adding cream—not the typical 320°F—because the higher Maillard reaction temperature compensates for cooling when cool cream is added, keeping you closer to your target 246°F endpoint.timing350°F (175°C) base, 246°F (119°C) final
- ✓Use a candy thermometer calibrated within ±1°F and clip it so the bulb sits 1 inch above the pan bottom, because the caramel's viscosity dramatically changes between 245-247°F—the difference between chewy and hard-set.equipment246°F (119°C) ±1°F, 1 inch from bottom
- ✓Stir butter in off-heat for 30-40 seconds after reaching 246°F, then immediately pour onto parchment, because continued heating causes emulsion breakdown and the butter's milk solids will separate, creating a grainy texture instead of silky chewiness.timing30-40 seconds off-heat before pouring