Best Vegan Caramel Sauce Recipe: Decadent Almond Caramel

Aug 31, 2010
Maija Haavisto

Cranberry flummery with vegan almond caramel sauce - Maija Haavisto

This vegan caramel sauce is somewhat similar to dulce de leche. Dairy-free, soy-free and gluten-free, it is particularly delicious with cranberry flummery.

Homemade almond cream made with slightly toasted almonds form the base of this caramel sauce recipe. They combine wonderfully with the delicious caramel flavour created by the brown sugar and the brown rice syrup.

You will need a frying pan (cast iron or non-stick) and a blender or a food processor, but no special equipment is needed.

If nuts cannot be used you can substitute 0.8 cups/2 dl of coconut milk for the almonds and water. The taste will obviously be quite different, but still very enjoyable.

Vegan Almond Caramel Sauce

0.8 cup/2 dl/flaked or chopped almonds
1 cup/2.4 dl water
2 tsp corn starch
0.5 cup/1.2 dl brown rice syrup
2 tbsp dark brown sugar (e.g. muscovado)
1 tsp vanilla extract
(a few drops of almond extract)
(1-2 tsp margarine)

Toast the almonds using a dry frying pan on medium heat for a few minutes, stirring as not to burn them. They don't have to be fully toasted, just golden a bit fragrant.
Blend the almonds with the water in a blender or a food processor until creamy. Strain, pressing with a spoon to get as much liquid out of the almonds as possible. For the smoothest texture use a very fine sieve, e.g. a tea strainer.
Mix the almond cream, corn starch, rice syrup and brown sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boil and lower heat to medium.
Cook for 5-10 minutes while constantly stirring, until thickened. Add the margarine and flavour extracts and mix. Let cool; the sauce will thicken further.

The sauce can be used on ice cream, baked goods (try it with apple pie!) and as a dip for fruit and berries, but it is particularly good when served with cranberry flummery (a type of dessert sauce made with stewed fruit or berries).

The left-over almond pulp can be used in cooking or baking or as a facial scrub.

Cranberry Flummery

You can use stevia or another sweetener instead of the sugar. If you cannot get 100% (unsweetened, undiluted) cranberry juice, you can use 2 cups/4.8 dl of any cranberry juice, skipping the sugar.

2 cups/4.8 dl water
0.5 cup/1.2 dl 100% cranberry juice
4-5 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup/1.8 dl cranberries
1/4 cup/0.6 dl potato starch (or corn starch)

Mix the cranberry juice, water, sugar and cranberries in a non-aluminium saucepan. Reserve a few tablespoonfuls of the juice mixture for the slurry.
Bring the cranberry juice in the saucepan to boil and simmer for a few minutes, gently mashing the whole cranberries with a spoon so that most of them are broken. Check for sweetness and add more sugar if needed.
Mix the potato starch with the reserved juice to create a smooth slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the pan while constantly stirring. Immediately remove the pan from heat (potato starch shouldn't be cooked).
Let cool. Serve with the almond caramel sauce drizzled or spooned on top.

The flummery may form a "film" on top as it cools; this can be prevented by sprinkling on some sugar.