Another reason why you should not eat caramel with desserts is that you will not be able to resist this Red Chilli Caramel. It is sweet and buttery, and one minute you are about to think it is all sugar and love, wham! Here, the chilli kicks in and fires up your taste buds. It is a caramel recipe mixed with a spicy and bold red chilli to drizzle over popcorn, ice cream, grilled meats, or even snack dipping. It’s freaky, it’s foodie — it’s you. That’s why I’m gonna show you two different ways to make Red Chilli Caramel, Cause one isn’t enough!

Red Chilli Caramel (Spicy Kick)

This version of red chilli caramel has a spicier kick than the usual one. It will be the perfect companion for any kind of spicy or regular snack. All you have to do is follow the recipe and give me a treat! Let’s get into the recipe.

Ingredients

• 200 g (1 cup) sugar
• 60 ml (¼ cup) water
• 100 ml (½ cup) heavy cream (optional — skip for thinner glaze)
• 20 g (1½ tbsp) butter
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
• 1 tsp (5 ml) fish sauce
• ½–1 tsp red chilli flakes
• 1–2 small fresh red chillies, finely chopped
• ½ Chopped Naga chilli (Only for braves!)
• ¼ tsp smoked paprika or cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

You have to be careful with caramel because it waits for none. Overcook it a little, it will get upset and make a dark face, just kidding! It will get bitter and inedible if you overcook it. So, the first thing to do is

1. Set Up Everything First

Measure everything out, chop your chillies, and keep them close.

2. Make the Caramel

You can make your caramel in 2 ways, the

Dry way: Add the sugar to the pan, then turn on the stove. Keep the temperature on low to medium heat. Let the sugar heat and melt on its own. Don’t stir until it melts down. In this process, you have to be more cautious because there is a high chance of burning the sugar, as there is no water added, and it needs more attention. This process doesn’t take long to caramalise, btw.

Wet way: Add sugar and water to a pan, then turn on the heat. Keep the temperature medium to high. Don’t stir it; let the sugar dissolve and thicken the syrup on its own. In this process, you can worry less as the water down the risk of burning the sugar, and you can cook on high heat. Also, this process takes longer to caramalise, therefore it makes a greater development of flavour.

I’ll suggest the Wet way if you don’t have any urgency. During caramelizing, if any crystals of sugar develop around the pan, then wash them with a pastry brush dipped in water. This will dissolve them. If these crystals are not dissolved, they can cause the mixture to crystallise, rendering the caramel gritty and unusable. After some time, you’ll see the liquid starting to change color from clear to brownish or straw color. At that moment, stir it until a fine golden color appears. After turning into a golden brown color, reduce the heat.

3. Add the butter

After reaching the golden brown color, add the butter and stir it until it melts. Butter gives the caramel a rich and creamy flavour. Add heavy cream if you want more creaminess and thickness.

4. Add the Badboys (Chillies)

After adding butter, add the Chilli flakes, chopped chillies, and smoked paprika. Only add the Naga chillies if you can handle it! Or brave enough. If you can’t handle so much spice, then avoid it. Cook for 30-40 seconds to infuse the spiciness and heat.

5. Add the sauces

Add Soya sauce and fish sauce. It gives savory richness and funky depth to the flavour. Cook on low heat for about 1-2 minutes to infuse the flavour. Add some sea salt and stir for 30-50 seconds. Turn the heat off and let it cool.

In the meantime, why don’t we make something and couple them up? Try Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Chicken Penne with it, and I’m sure you’ll love it!

Okay, after trying that, why don’t we make another version of red chilli caramel? Sounds sweet, right? Let’s get into it.

Red Chilli Caramel (Sweeter Treat)

This is a version that dilutes the burn and transforms the caramel into a mouth-licking bliss. It is smooth, decadent, and sweet, with a slight touch of chilli that makes the flavor more alive without overwhelming it. Exquisite with cakes, puddings, pancakes, or ice cream. This is a version that dilutes the burn and transforms the caramel into a mouth-licking bliss. It is smooth, decadent, and sweet, with a slight touch of chilli that makes the flavor more alive without overwhelming it. Exquisite with cakes, puddings, pancakes, or ice cream.

Ingrediants

• 200 g (1 cup) white sugar
• 60 ml (¼ cup) water
• 120 ml (½ cup) heavy cream (room temperature)
• 40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp (1.5 g) sea salt (optional)
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) Kashmiri red chilli powder (for color & soft warmth)
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) red chilli flakes (optional – for a gentle finish)

Step-by-Step Instructions

The caramelization process will be the same as the red chilli caramel spicier version. So we are gonna start the instructions from adding Heavy cream.

1. Add Heavy Cream

After the caramelization, add heavy cream for a rich, creamy, and sweeter taste. Be careful doing this, as it starts bubbling up crazy after adding the cream. At first, remove the pan from the heat, then slowly add the cream while stirring. After mixing well, you can cook it on low heat again. The cream must be at room temperature or warm.

2. Add butter

After adding cream, you can add butter. It will give a richer taste, smooth texture, and glossy look.

3. Spice it up

Add the chillies and cook for only 30-40 seconds.

4. Final touch

For the final touch-up, add vanilla extract and some fine sea salt. Stir and cook for another 15-20 seconds and turn off the stove. Time to give it a rest until the sweet bro chills down.

There you go, wanna try it with some Meringue cookies or brownies? Cream cheese will also work. Oh my! You can try it with endless types of snacks. So what are you waiting for? Grab some for you and wrap some for me, buddy!

FAQ