Salted Caramels
(from capital_l’s recipe box)
Source: http://www.joyofbaking.com/candy/Caramels.html
Prep time: 40 minutes
Serves 48 people
Categories: dessert
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream (has a 36-40% butterfat content)
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (210 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
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Caramels: Butter an 8 × 8 inch (20 × 20 cm) baking pan.
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In a heavy medium sized saucepan, stir together the cream, sugars, and salt. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once the mixture boils, with a heatproof pastry brush that has been dipped in warm water, wash down the sides of the saucepan to remove any sugar crystals that may have formed. Clamp a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Boil the mixture over medium high heat (do not stir) until the temperature reaches 245 degrees F (118 degrees C). (If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, wash them down with a heatproof pastry brush that has been dipped in warm water.)
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Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the caramel into your prepared pan and let cool, undisturbed, for at least eight hours, or overnight.
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With a sharp knife, (oiled with a tasteless vegetable oil, like safflower), and with a sawing motion, cut into squares or rectangles. These caramels can be stored at room temperature, between layers of wax paper, for several days. Caramels make a nice gift, especially when wrapped in wax paper or cellophane.