You can make this salted milk chocolate caramel at home!
It’s the chocolate candy whose success continues to defy the economic downturn. Once merely a gourmet Parisian treat, salted caramel’s were all the buzz during 2008. Even President Obama has a sweet tooth for this salty-sweet caramel delicacy. Wondering what all the commotion is about for salted chocolate caramels? Cocoa heaven offers up this delicious gourmet recipe, courtesy of Chocolate Epiphany: Exceptional Cookies, Cakes, and Confections for Everyone. Try it out at your place, and see what everyone is talking about. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
Milk Chocolate Caramel with Fleur De Sel
I love eating Carambar, a chewy French caramel stick that is oddly addictive. The texture of these caramels reminds me of it, although they are slightly less chewy, and softer. The milk chocolate is stirred into the sugar and becomes an integral part of the caramel. A sprinkle of fleur de sel, a high-quality sea salt, brings out the sweet notes of the caramel. To keep the caramels from sticking to one another, store them between layers of parchment or wax paper that you will have sprayed with vegetable cooking spray. You can wrap them in candy wrappers, to give some away in a festive manner. It’s a great activity for kids, whose little fingers are perfect for the job.
Ingredients
- Vegetable cooking spray, for the pan
- 1 Cup (232 grams) heavy cream
- 1 Cup (200 grams) sugar
- 3/4 Cup plus 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) salt
- 6 ounces (170 grams) milk chocolate, chopped
- Sea-Salt
Directions
Spray a heat-proof 9 x 13 – inch dish with vegetable cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper, leaving at least 2 inches of overhang on each side of the dish, and spray the parchment paper as well.
Combine the cream, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir, with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, clip a candy thermometer to the pan and cook the sugar without stirring until it reaches 243 degrees fahrenheit on the thermometer. Immediately stir in the chocolate until it is melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the caramel in the prepared dish, using an offset spatula to spread it in an even layer and smooth the top. Let the caramel cool to room temperature and set, uncovered, at least 1 hour.
Remove it from the pan by pulling on the parchment overhangs. Spray a knife with vegetable cooking spray, and cut the caramel into 1-inch squares. Top each caramel with a few grains of sea-salt. Let them sit for 6 hours, uncovered before storing them in an airtight container. This allows excess moisture to evaporate, and will help the caramels retain their shape.
Line a container with parchment paper, and spray the parchment with vegetable cooking spray. Arrange one layer of caramels on the parchment, then cover with parchment paper spray the parchment. Repeat with the remaining caramels, separating each layer with oiled parchment to keep the caramels from sticking to one another. They will keep, in a cool dry environment, for up to 2 weeks.
This recipe makes about 50 caramels
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