Salted Chocolate Caramels Recipes

SALTED CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• 1. Grease the baking sheet with the 1 teaspoon butter, and set it aside on a heatproof surface.
• 2. Combine the sugar, chocolate, evaporated milk, and heavy cream, in a large (6- to 8-quart) saucepan or stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered and without stirring.
• 3. Once the mixture has come to a boil, insert the candy thermometer. Add the corn syrup, and stir gently with the heatproof spatula until everything is mixed well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to keep the mixture from burning, until the mixture reaches 230°F/110°C (thread stage), about 30 minutes.
• 4. Add the 3 1/2 tablespoons butter and, stirring continuously, cook the caramel until it reaches 238°F/115°C (soft ball stage), 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat.
• 5. Stir in the salt, making sure to mix well so that it's distributed evenly. Wearing oven mitts, carefully pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow it to cool completely until it's firm to the touch, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. (If it's humid, cover the caramel with plastic wrap until you can cut it and wrap it in wax paper.)
• 6. Lightly coat a sharp chef's knife with cooking spray, and run the tip around the edge of the baking sheet to release the caramel. Gently turn the caramel out onto the lined cutting board, and cut it into 1-inch squares. Wrap the pieces in wax twisting paper (to turn the squares into little logs, fold each piece over on itself, wrap the twisting paper around it and roll the wrapped caramel against the cutting board, then twist the ends of the paper shut).
• Store the caramels in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 4 weeks; they'll last for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-TOPPED SEA SALT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of 11x7-inch glass baking dish or pan with foil, leaving 1 inch foil overhanging on 2 opposite sides of pan; grease foil with butter.
• In 3-quart heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the corn syrup and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 40 to 50 minutes or until 248°F on candy thermometer (firm ball stage). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into pan. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until completely cooled.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and oil on High 30 to 40 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until chocolate is melted. Using spatula, spread chocolate evenly over caramel layer. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.
• Remove caramels from baking dish to cutting surface, using foil to lift; peel back foil. Cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Gradually beat in flour, mixing well. Press 3 cups of dough onto bottom of a greased 13x9-in. pan. Bake until set, 20-22 minutes. , Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat until smooth. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with salt, then chocolate chips. Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over top. Bake until light golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

HOMEMADE CARAMELS WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND SEA SALT

Steps:

• Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Combine white sugar, 1/2 cup cream, light corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 242 degrees (117 degrees C), or until a small amount of the caramel mixture forms a firm yet pliable ball when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
• Pour caramel mixture into baking pan. Allow to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove baking pan from the fridge and allow caramel mixture to warm up slightly, about 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Combine dark and semisweet chocolate chips with shortening in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Cut caramel into 1-inch squares. Dip caramel squares in melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Place on lined baking sheet; sprinkle with sea salt. Chill until hardened, about 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED SALTED CARAMELS

Steps:

• Insert toothpick into 1 caramel; dip in chocolate, turning until completely coated. Shake gently to remove excess chocolate. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining caramels.
• Sprinkle with salt. Let stand at room temperature 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1 cup white sugar and brown sugar gradually. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture gradually, beating well. Cover dough and chill for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Press a small amount of dough around each caramel-filled candy. Roll into balls. Pour 2 tablespoons white sugar into a small bowl. Dip the top of each ball into the sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with some of the coarse salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are set, about 8 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

SALTED CARAMEL CANDIES

Steps:

• Line 9x5-inch loaf pan with foil; spray foil with cooking spray.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream, vanilla, kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until mixture just begins to simmer. Remove from heat; cover with lid. Set aside.
• In 2-quart heavy saucepan, mix sugar and corn syrup; add candy thermometer. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until sugar is dissolved. If granules of sugar become stuck to sides of saucepan, use wet pastry brush to brush granules down towards syrup. Cook syrup, without stirring, until thermometer reads 310°F. If hot spots or darker areas occur while cooking, gently roll saucepan around to evenly disperse syrup.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Slowly pour cream mixture into syrup. Syrup will bubble violently so be careful to add cream slowly to ensure syrup does not bubble over edge of saucepan. Stir until smooth.
• Return saucepan to medium heat. Cook caramel until thermometer reads 260°F.
• Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until caramel is smooth.
• Pour caramel into loaf pan. Cool 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle coarse sea salt evenly over top. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack.
• When caramel is cool, remove from pan by lifting foil. Peel foil from caramel. Using sharp long knife, cut into 35 to 40 squares. Wrap each caramel individually with waxed paper or cellophane.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS WITH SEA SALT

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving an extra inch or two hanging over the sides.
• In a small saucepan, heat butter and cream until melted and hot, but do not allow mixture to boil.
• Make the caramel: Pour sugar into a large saucepan fitted with a candy or instant-read thermometer. Heat sugar over medium heat until areas begin to melt and turn brown. Using a wooden or silicone spoon, stir melted areas to redistribute the heat. Continue to melt sugar, stirring gently to break up clumps until it is dark brown, bubbling and clear, about 330 degrees. This will take about 15 minutes.
• Immediately pour cream-butter mixture through a strainer into caramelized sugar, but be careful: It will bubble wildly. Heat the mixture over medium-high heat to 255 degrees. This will take about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to very low, add chocolate, and stir until melted and smooth.
• Pour mixture into lined pan and let cool 20 minutes. Sprinkle salt on top. Let cool at room temperature until firm, about 3 hours or overnight. (If weather is hot and humid, chill in refrigerator.)
• When caramels are cool and firm, use the parchment paper or aluminum foil to lift caramel slab out of pan. Using a large sharp knife and a ruler, cut into small squares, about 3/4 inch. Refrigerated caramel will need to soften slightly at room temperature before cutting.