Vegan Dark Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Clusters

Macadamia nuts always remind me of Hawaii (not too surprising)… They were tossed in salads, thrown in bowls for snacks, and most frequently, delivered in a chocolate covered form in a Hawaiian Host box. The other day the woman behind me at my local Asian grocery store was buying a box and since then, I have not forgotten about them. So, I decided to make my own take on them! These Vegan Dark Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Clusters are SO GOOD.

These clusters are composed of three things: macadamia nuts, vegan caramel (!) and dark chocolate. We all know macadamia nuts and dark chocolate are awesome, so let’s talk about this caramel.

It was inspired by a super basic caramel sauce recipe from seriouseats.com. Sugar + Water + Cream. My decision to make a vegan version was a pure random personal preference, but I think I figured out the secret.

I used a one to one substitution of dairy cream and coconut cream. Other than a incredibly subtle hint of coconut flavor (which, let’s face it, only makes these MORE tropical), it worked out really perfectly. The trick here though, was getting the seize-ability right. When making clusters or candies, you don’t want your caramel to be too liquidy. You want it to firm up so you can take a bite.

The trick here is paying attention to the temperature that you heat your caramel up to. In order for this caramel to seize at all, you have to let it reach 240 -245 degrees F. This will cause it to get gooey and firm. Any less, and it’s still delicious, but a better consistency for ice cream.

I will say that because it is dairy free, the caramel is a bit gooey, so they are best kept in the fridge. But it’s so worth it. These Vegan Dark Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Clusters are perfect to keep stashed for an emergency snack.

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Vegan Dark Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Clusters

These Vegan Dark Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Clusters are the perfect treat to have stashed in the fridge or serve at a gathering.

Servings 40 Clusters

Ingredients

Vegan Caramel

• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Cream

Clusters

• 1 1/2 Cups Macadamia Nuts
• 1 Cup Dark chocolate (chunks or chips)

Instructions

Vegan Caramel

• In a saucepan, add sugar, salt and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring frequently. Once it is boiling, let it simmer at medium heat for 6-8 minutes until the sugar mixture is turning an amber color.
• Once it begins to amber in color, add the coconut cream. Continue cooking, stirring, for 6-8 minutes until the caramel reaches 240 degrees F. Remove from heat and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Assembly of Clusters

• Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place clusters of 2 whole, or 4 halves macadamia nuts on sheet.
• Spoon some caramel over the macadamia nut clusters and then put sheet in refrigerator for 10 minutes.
• While that is chilling, use a double boiler or microwave and melt the dark chocolate until smooth and creamy.
• Pour dark chocolate over the clusters and return to refrigerator for about 5 more minutes until set.

Notes

* This vegan caramel is delicious but it does stay quite gooey. These are best stored in the refrigerator.

**For the coconut cream, I used the cream (not water) part of a can of coconut milk. You can also use specifically canned coconut cream. For a dairy version, substitute regular heavy cream.