Pomegranate Caramels take ordinary caramels up a notch or two. Think chewy, creamy caramel with a fruity touch. This easy to make pomegranate candy is a festive treat and make wonderful Rosh Hashanah gifts.
Why you'll love this recipe
This week was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It is a time of celebration, reflection, and renewal. Traditionally, family and friends gather to celebrate and often there are foods served that are symbolic of our New Year’s wishes.
Apples are dipped in honey in the hope of a sweet New Year and the many seeds of the pomegranate represent our merits and the hope is to increase our merits in the year to come.
The number of seeds in each pomegranate is also said to correlate with the 613 commandments, or good deeds, of the Torah. The fruit represents knowledge, learning, and wisdom.
Pomegranate Caramels embody all of those hopes and wishes along with easy to make deliciousness.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the pomegranate juice to a boil. Lower temperature and simmer uncovered until the juice is reduced to ¾ cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.
- In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar, corn syrup, salt, condensed milk, and reduced pomegranate juice. Stir continually until the mixture reaches 248° F on a candy thermometer.
- Pour the mixture into an 8” x 8” baking pan lined with parchment paper. Allow to cool at room temperature.
- For easier cutting, refrigerate for 15-30 minutes until quite firm.
Storage
Wrap caramels in wax paper, then decorative foil.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Tips
- This pomegranate candy recipe requires juice concentrate for flavor. Many fruit juices come in frozen concentrates. Pomegranate juice isn't readily available in frozen concentrate, but making your own concentrate adds less than 15 minutes to the recipe.
- I had excellent results with both the Pom brand (refrigerated) and the Trader Joe’s brand ( shelf stable) of pomegranate juice.
- The recipe requires ¾ cup of juice concentrate. Starting with 3 times that amount (2 ¼ cups), the juice is simmered to evaporate the liquid and concentrate the flavor until ¾ cup of juice remains.
- For a lovely, soft, chewy consistency, Pomegranate Caramels should be stored at room temperature. However, for easy cutting and wrapping, I recommend chilling the caramel (for about 15 minutes) to temporarily harden.
- Waxed paper can be cut in squares (4”x 4”) for wrapping with twisted ends or can be purchased pre-cut. For celebrations and gift giving, cellophane or foil wrappers provide sparkle.
- Wrapping on a flat surface (rather than holding the caramel in your hand) helps keep the candy from warming and the foil from wrinkling.
Frequently asked questions
For best results, a candy thermometer is recommended for this recipe to ensure that the mixture reaches the correct temperature to provide the chewy consistency.
Yes! Subsitute the pomegranate concentrate with the same amount of any other fruit juice concentrate.
I recommend wrapping caramel candy in thin strips of waxed paper (hand cut) as extra protection from sticking, even if the foil wrappers are labeled “anti-stick candy wrappers”. Then, cover each caramel in foil.
More Rosh Hashanah gift ideas
This Rosh Hashanah Gift Guide is full of great ideas for New Year gifts and recipes!
Honey Applesauce Cake is a year round favorite. This moist, flavorful loaf is ideal for gifting and snacking.
Biscotti are a welcome gift any time of year. With flavors like Honey Biscotti and Apple Biscotti, they are perfect for High Holy Day sharing.
Apple and Honey Cookies are a Rosh Hashanah treat! The cookies get their fruity flavor and chewy texture from apple butter and are topped with honey icing!
You may be surprised to find that the apples and honey combination is fabulous on crunchy Apples and Honey Popcorn and in Apples and Honey Chocolate Bars!
These Honey Lollipops are a show stopper! Make them in an apple shaped mold for the perfect New Year sweet.
If you enjoyed making and sharing these caramels for Rosh Hashanah, don’t miss Golden Chocolate Coins for Hanukkah, my family's favorite Hamantaschen Recipe for Purim, and Passover Mandel Bread!
Wishing everyone a healthy, happy, and peace-filled New Year. L’Shana Tova!
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Pomegranate Caramels
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups pomegranate juice
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk canned
Instructions
- In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the pomegranate juice to a boil. Lower temperature and simmer uncovered until the juice is reduced to ¾ cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.
- Line an 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add sugar, corn syrup, salt, condensed milk, and reduced pomegranate juice. Stir continually until the mixture reaches 248° F on a candy thermometer.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Allow to cool at room temperature.
- For easier cutting, refrigerate for 15-30 minutes until quite firm. Lift the caramel out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper as handles. Place on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the caramel into individual pieces (approximately 1” x ¾”).
- Wrap caramels in wax paper then decorative foil.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- For a lovely, soft, chewy consistency, store at room temperature. However, for easy cutting and wrapping, I recommend chilling the caramel (for about 15 minutes) to temporarily harden.
- Waxed paper can be cut in squares (4”x 4”) for wrapping with twisted ends or can be purchased pre-cut. For celebrations and gift giving, cellophane or foil wrappers provide sparkle.
- Wrapping on a flat surface (rather than holding the caramel in your hand) helps keep the candy from warming and the foil from wrinkling.
Nutrition
First Published: September 23, 2017. Last Updated: August 28, 2022. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.
Chadi Saleh
Hello ! Pls is there a substitute for liquid corn syrup? I want to use something more healthy any suggestions? Thx
Wendy Sondov
The problem is that each liquid sweetener has a different burn temperature. Candy making is highly dependent of how the sugars behave at specific temperatures. You can't just substitute sweeteners in candy making without making other adjustments and not every sweetener works in all candy applications. I haven't tried this recipe with anything other than corn syrup. You can try doing a search for a caramel recipe using honey, date syrup, or agave/maple syrup if you think that is "more healthy". I don't think candy is supposed to be healthy. I veiw it as a treat you eat in very small quantities.
Miz Helen
What a great recipe for Caramels! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen
The Monday Box
Thanks, Miz Helen! This was my first time making caramels and I am hooked. I'm already planning batches for holiday presents! 🙂 Thanks for hosting Full Plate Thursday!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert
I love my kitchen thermometer and like you, find so many uses for it. This recipe sounds fantastic - and I love my pomegranate molasses so may have to give that a try!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Tricia! I am hesitant to add another "gadget" to my overflowing drawer of cooking tools, but my candy thermometer has been indispensable! Pomegranate molasses is stronger than the reduction I used, so if you use the molasses in this recipe, I suggest using just a bit so as not to overwhelm. 🙂
B
My caramels did not harden 🙁 what did I do wrong? Maybe here need to put some agare powder?
Wendy Sondov
Hi. Sorry to hear you are having a problem with this recipe.I’m not sure why your caramels didn’t firm ( they never get hard, just chewy). Agar powder is definitely not needed. Maybe you used too much liquid? Did you reduce the liquid to 3/4 cup as explained in step 1? Did you use a candy thermometer to ensure that the mixture was the right temperature ? I hope this helps.
Siobhan
Could one use pomegranate molasses as a substitute for the juice reduction?
The Monday Box
Hi, Siobhan! Yes, I am sure that pomegranate molasses can be used, but I think 3/4 cup would be way too strong. I haven't tried it, so I can't tell you the exact amount. The reduced juice basically is somewhere between pomegranate juice and molasses.