Salted Caramels…that’s right. I said SALTED! If you haven’t experienced the salty sweet thing yet, you have to try it….and try it NOW!

I’ve been making these caramels for several years and they’re always a big hit. They aren’t that hard to make, but it helps if you have a candy thermometer and a heavy weight saucepan. I have a small cast iron dutch oven that I like to use (thank you Martha Stewart cookware from Macy’s). Of course any pot will work, as long as you keep an eye on the temperature as you’re cooking. And, while I love the sprinkling of coarse salt on the caramels, my husband turned his nose up at the idea of salt on a piece of candy. FIGURES! So…that means more for me! Or, if you want to please everyone then leave the salt off of some. Either way, the caramels are really, really good. So don’t be afraid…give them a try.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 cup heavy cream

5 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 tsp. fine fleur de sel, plus extra for sprinkling

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over two sides. Brush lightly with vegetable oil. (Use a smaller pan if you want the caramels a little thicker.)

1. In a deep saucepan (roughly 6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don’t stir — just swirl the pan.

2. Heat the cream. In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel (or kosher salt) to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.

3. When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful — it will bubble up violently.

4. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.

Fill the pan. Pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan. Be careful, it’s hot! Refrigerate a few hours until firm.

Cut the caramel.

When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the square in half.

Cut into pieces.

Sprinkle with fleur de sel.  It’s easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with flavorless oil like corn oil.

Wrap the candies.

Cut glassine or parchment paper into 4-by-5-inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

* Sometimes I chill the caramels and then dip the pieces in chocolate (dark, of course….my favorite). Sprinkle with Fleur de Sel before the chocolate hardens. So good!

*recipe from Ina Garten