Salted Caramels

Read the previous post before you begin. Use a pan that is big enough to handle the expansion. It starts out as just an inch or 2 in the bottom of the pan and is up to the top when it is boiling. I doubled the recipe and used a 4 quart pot. It is about 10 inches across and 8 inches deep. You should use that size even for a single recipe.

Salted Caramels

Prepare an 8X8 pan. If you want to double the recipe then you will use a 9X13. Line with Reynold’s NON Stick Aluminum Foil. Let the ends extend over the ends of the pan. Spray with Pam cooking spray. Don’t even think about trying to make them without the foil in the pan. Trust me, you will have a mess on your hands. (from experience)

In a 4 quart pot hang the candy thermometer on the side of the pan with tip not touching the bottom of the pan.
Bring to a boil over med high heat:
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey

Make a mark with a magic marker at the 257 line so you can see it easier. It goes really slow around 220 and then it all of a sudden shoots up to the 250’s.

Stir constantly, dragging the bottom of the pan and around the edges, until the thermometer reaches 257 degrees. No more, no less. Remove from heat immediately. Work quickly…….

Stir in :
6 Tbsp. salted Butter (Land O Lakes is good!)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tsp. Kosher salt or sea salt (Not table salt)

Pour into prepared pan. Do not lick the spoon or stick your finger in the caramel on the spoon. It will burn you. Even if you think it has cooled. Just trying to help you out.

Let cool. Then cover (bring in foil from ends, to loosely cover, add more foil over top, not touching caramel) and refrigerate for a couple of hours. You can finish them any time in the next few days. If they have been in the frig very long, you will need to set them out for a couple of hours until they come to room temp so you can cut them. They will seem hard as a brick. But they will soften up.

On a hard surface lightly sprayed with Pam and then wipe with a paper towel to remove excess, such as granite, or a cutting board. Lift caramels from pan using the ends of the foil. Peel foil away. Using a large knife, cut into 8 long strips and then cut each strip into 6 pieces. Not too big, they are rich. A single recipe will make about 48.

1- 3 1/2 oz. bar Ghiradelli bittersweet Chocolate (found above the chocolate chips in the baking aisle)

In a glass bowl break up chocolate and microwave for 1 minute. Stir until melted and smooth.
Using a fork, drizzle chocolate over caramels.

3 tsp. Kosher Salt (do not use table salt)

Put some Kosher salt in a little dish and using your fingers sprinkle a little pinch over each. Just a few crystals.
Only takes a few minutes for the chocolate to set and then you can wrap them.