Ginger Caramel Melts

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup Fresh ginger (Washed, peeled, and roughly chopped)
• Water (As required for blending the ginger and for the ice-water consistency test)
• 0.5 cup Jaggery (Crumble or grate if it is in a firm block)
• 1 tsp Cornflour (Add if required to thicken the mixture)
• 0.5 tsp Butter (For the candy mixture and lightly brushing the parchment; divide as needed)
• 0.125 tsp Ground black pepper
• 0.25 tsp Ground turmeric
• Cornflour for dusting (Use a small amount as needed to prevent sticking)
• Butter paper (For wrapping the individual candies)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash and peel the ginger, then roughly chop it into smaller pieces so it blends easily.

2. 2

   Place the chopped ginger in a blender with enough water to help it move, and blend until completely smooth.

3. 3

   Strain the blended ginger through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing the pulp firmly to extract as much ginger juice as possible. Discard or reserve the fibrous pulp for another use.

4. 4

   Add the strained ginger juice to a saucepan. Add the jaggery, black pepper, and turmeric.

5. 5

   Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the jaggery dissolves and the mixture thickens and reduces. It should become glossy and noticeably more concentrated rather than remaining watery.

6. 6

   Add the cornflour if the mixture needs additional thickening, stirring thoroughly to prevent lumps. Continue cooking briefly until incorporated and thickened.

7. 7

   Add the butter and stir until it melts completely and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

8. 8

   Test the consistency by dropping a small amount of the hot mixture into a bowl of ice-cold water. If the drop holds its shape as a soft ball without dissolving into the water, the mixture is ready. If it disperses, continue cooking and test again.

9. 9

   Lightly brush a sheet of parchment paper with butter. Pour the hot ginger mixture onto the prepared parchment and spread it into an even layer if necessary.

10. 10

    Let the candy cool completely at room temperature until set and chewy. Do not cut it while it is still hot, as it will be sticky and difficult to shape.

11. 11

    Dust the cooled ginger caramel lightly with cornflour to prevent sticking. It should release from the parchment easily.

12. 12

    Cut the candy into your desired shapes and wrap each piece individually in butter paper.

Notes

The recipe does not specify an exact quantity of blending water, dusting cornflour, or the final candy yield. Store the individually wrapped melts in an airtight container and keep them away from heat and humidity. The soft-ball test is the key to achieving a chewy rather than hard texture.

Nutrition per serving

• candy
• sweet
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• South Asian
• ginger
• jaggery
• no-bake