By leah jones
Here's a recipe for Collagen Caramel Cups—a rich and creamy treat with the added health benefit of collagen to help improve the health of your hair, skin, nails and joints.
For the chocolate shell: 1 ½ cups dark chocolate (or milk chocolate) chips or chopped chocolate, 1 tbsp coconut oil (optional, for a smoother texture).
For the collagen caramel filling: 1/2 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp collagen powder (unflavored or vanilla), 1/4 cup (50 g) butter, 1/3 cup (70 g) brown sugar, 2 tbsp honey (or maple syrup), 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler method).
Stir until smooth and fully melted. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between. Line a muffin tin with 12 mini paper cupcake liners (or silicone molds).
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate into each cup and swirl to coat the bottom and sides evenly. Use the back of a spoon to help distribute the chocolate.
Place the tin in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chocolate shells harden.
In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey (or maple syrup) and heavy cream.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it starts to bubble. Let it cook for 3-5 minutes until the caramel thickens slightly and turns a golden brown color.
Remove from heat and stir in the collagen powder, salt and vanilla extract. Mix until the collagen fully dissolves and the caramel is smooth. Let cool for about 10 minutes until it thickens but is still pourable.
Take the hardened chocolate shells out of the freezer. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the collagen caramel filling into each cup, leaving a little space at the top for the chocolate layer. Freeze the cups again for 10 minutes to set the caramel.
Once the caramel has set, top each cup with another layer of melted chocolate to fully seal the caramel inside. Smooth the tops with a spoon and return the cups to the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until fully set.