Caramel Filled Chocolate Hearts (Vegan)
These cute little dark chocolate hearts are filled with a luscious, homemade caramel. They are sweet, creamy, delicious and perfect for your valentine.
I absolutely love tiny two-bite chocolate candies. For the holiday of love, I decided to make these adorable little dark chocolate hearts overflowing with a homemade caramel filling. These little two-bite delights are the perfect decadent treat for your valentine. They do require a little bit of your time, but these delicious, dairy-free treats are well worth it.
What you will need:
Caramel and chocolate along with some heart molds are a must for this recipe. Homemade or store bought caramel will work. All other ingredients are basic pantry items.
Caramel filling
- plant based milk
- plant based heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- brown sugar
Chocolate Coating
- dark chocolate
- coconut oil
How to:
If you are choosing to make a homemade caramel filling, let’s get that prepared first. To a medium pot, add the milk, heavy cream, and brown sugar. Place the pot over medium heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved and allow it to come to a simmer. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce the heat just slightly and leave it at a simmer until it darkens and thickens to the desired consistency. Make sure to stir occasionally during this process. You are looking for a thick caramel sauce consistency. It will continue thickening as it cools, so be careful how thick you allow it to get while on the stovetop. This process took me about 20 to 25 minutes. Once off the heat, add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Transfer the caramel to a heat-safe container and allow it to cool to room temperature.
While the caramel filling is cooling, the chocolate coating can be prepared. Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate and coconut oil over medium heat. Once melted and well combined, transfer the melted chocolate to a heat-safe container and allow it to cool slightly.
Now that the caramel filling and chocolate coating are ready, let’s make these cute caramel candies. Place about 1/2 teaspoon or more of the melted chocolate into each of the heart molds. To make sure each heart is fully coated in chocolate, swirl the chocolate around or use a brush to spread the chocolate around and up the sides. I wanted these candies to have a sturdy chocolate shell, so I made sure the chocolate was on the cooler side before I started this process. Once you are done creating the heart shells, place the molds in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes so the chocolate can set. Remove the molds from the refrigerator and add about 1/2 teaspoon of the caramel to each heart mold (the amount of caramel filling this recipe makes was just enough for all 30 heart molds). Once all the hearts are filled with caramel, place the molds back into the refrigerator for 10 minutes for the caramel to set. Remove the molds from the refrigerator and use the rest of the chocolate to fill the molds in and cover the caramel. Place the molds back in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes for the hearts to set and make them easy to remove from the molds. Remove the hearts from the molds and enjoy. I suggest storing the hearts in the refrigerator.
Alright, let’s get started. Please make and enjoy!
Caramel Filled Chocolate Hearts (Vegan)
Ingredients
Caramel Filling
- ¾ cup plant based milk
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup plant based heavy cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Coating
- 150 grams dark chocolate – I used Lindt Excellence 70% bar
- ¼ tsp coconut oil
Instructions
Caramel Filling
- To a small pot, add the milk, heavy cream and sugar. Place the pot over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to stir occasionally as the caramel heats up and comes to a simmer. Allow the sauce to remain at a simmer until the desired consistency is reached. I was looking for a thick caramel sauce consistency. This took about 25 minutes start to finish. Remove the pot from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Stir until the vanilla is fully incorporated and set the caramel aside to cool to room temperature. Remember, the caramel will thicken as it cools, so be careful how thick you allow it to get while on the stove top.***feel free to cook the caramel less time ( for a looser caramel) or more time (for a thicker, chewier caramel)
Chocolate Coating
- Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate and coconut oil over medium heat. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly.
Assembly
- Place 1/2 teaspoon or more of chocolate in each heart mold. Swirl the chocolate around or use a brush to make sure the sides and bottom have a nice covering of chocolate. Place the molds in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes for the chocolate to set. Once the chocolate sets, add about 1/2 teaspoon of caramel filling to each mold. Place the molds back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes for the caramel to set.***This recipe made just enough caramel filling for all 30 hearts.***These are the molds I used. I order them from Amazon. Each heart is roughly 1in x1in x ¼in.
- Use the rest of the chocolate to fill the molds in and cover the caramel. Place the molds back in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes for the chocolate and caramel to set. Remove the hearts from the molds and enjoy. I suggest storing the hearts in the refrigerator.
