Abstract: Disclosed is a gelatin-free soft caramel including a soft caramel base mass that contains at least one polysaccharide hydrocolloid as texturing agent, a crystalline sweetener phase formed by isomaltulose, and a noncrystalline sweetener phase, wherein the caramel is gelatin-free. It can be made by providing a noncrystalline sweetener phase by dissolving at least one soluble sweetener in water, adding polysaccharide hydrocolloid, fat component, emulsifier and a part of the total amount of the isomaltulose to the noncrystalline sweetener phase, steam heating the mixture to a temperature of at least 100° C., adding the remaining isomaltulose to the heated mixture while stirring, incorporating air into the mixture and cooling.