Making homemade caramel from scratch is not as hard as you might think. If you like caramel and matcha, you must try these matcha green tea caramels. They are incredibly chewy, creamy-soft and melt in your mouth.
The caramels taste better than anything you can buy in the store and the best part is that it only requires a handful of ingredients. The basic recipe includes only sugar, cream, and butter. These matcha caramels are divine and the ultimate sweet treat.
To make perfect caramel I highly recommend you invest in a digital thermometer and for the matcha version, a matcha whisk as well. The right temperature and the dissolving of the matcha powder are extremely important to get a fantastic result.
Tools & Equipment
- 20cm / 8-inch square baking pan
- Aluminium foil
- Candy wrappers (optional)
- Cutting board
- Digital thermometer
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Matcha bamboo whisk
- Medium saucepan
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife
- Small bowl
- Wooden spoon
Recipe Tips
Matcha Whisk: you’ll need a matcha whisk to dissolve the matcha powder in the whipped cream. This won’t work with a regular whisk. If you’re a matcha fan, it’s a good investment. I use this whisk*.
Pastry Brush: use a pastry brush to remove sugar syrup that is splattered on the sides of the pan. If you do not remove it, it can burn and crystalize, ruining your caramels. To prevent this, moisten the brush with water and run it along the sides of the pan.
Digital Thermometer: the right temperature is crucial for the texture of the caramels. It shows you exactly when the caramel is done. Make sure that the thermometer does not touch the bottom of the saucepan, otherwise it will show an inaccurate temperature.
Step by Step Guide – How to Make Matcha Green Tea Caramels
Gather your ingredients . Line a 20cm / 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil, leave an overhang on the sides and lightly grease the foil with butter.
Place the matcha powder in a small bowl, add ¼ of the heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Do not use a regular whisk.
Combine the matcha mixture, the rest of the heavy cream, both sugars and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly as the sugar dissolves. The mixture will look thick and cloudy (milky green).
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, pour it back into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Then brush the sides of the pan with a pastry brush moistened with water. Attach a digital thermometer to the pan.
Cook and stir occasionally until the temperature reaches 121°C/250°F.
Remove from heat immediately and stir in salt, vanilla and butter. Be careful, because the mixture may burst and bubble. Pour the hot caramel into the baking pan and tap on the counter to smooth the surface. Let the caramel cool and set at room temperature for at least 5 hours.
When the caramel has set, remove it from the pan by lifting up the foil. Remove the foil and cut it into rectangles or squares with a very sharp knife.
Optional: dust with matcha powder and wrap in candy wrappers.
Storage: you can keep caramels individually wrapped in wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. If you keep them in the fridge, you can probably store them longer. However, this could change the texture. I didn’t test it because they were gone so quickly.
My Summary for Matcha Green Tea Caramels
Difficulty: simple to intermediate.
Taste: they taste sweet, with a pleasant matcha flavor and a slight hint of vanilla.
Texture: these caramels are soft & chewy and melt in your mouth.
Time: making the caramel takes about an hour, from weighing the ingredients to reaching the proper temperature. Then the caramel needs to set for at least 5 hours or overnight. In other words, you should plan with at least 6 hours until you can enjoy the caramels.
More “Candy” Recipes
- B’Day Truffles
- Chocolate Truffles
- Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Fudge
- Peanut Butter Eggs
- Sea Salt Vanilla Caramels
*Not sponsored.