HOMEMADE THE BEST SALTED CARAMEL

Caramels are one of the easiest candies you can make at home. All you need is a straight-forward recipe and a few tricks

These salted caramels are soft, chewy and perfectly melt away in your mouth. You probably have all the ingredients needed to make them in your kitchen right now.

Making caramels at home is easy, you just need to know these 6 tricks.

1. When making caramels, it is important to do everything you can to prevent crystallization, which can make your caramels grainy, ruining the texture
2. Make Sure You Use The Right Kind of Cream
3. Don’t try this without a candy thermometer. The temperatures matter
4. Don’t double or triple caramel recipes. Timing is essential when making caramel and doubling a recipe can affect cooking time, something that could affect your end results.
5. You can add the candy thermometer to the boiling water to remove sticky caramel from the bottom of it.
6. About the Weather, If the air is humid, the caramel can actually reabsorb some moisture, which might negatively affect the texture and softness of your caramel

HOMEMADE THE BEST SALTED CARAMEL RECIPE
These salted caramels are soft, chewy and perfectly melt away in your mouth. Before starting to make our salted caramels recipe it is best to be sure you have all equipment ready and ingredients measured out.



INGREDIENTS :

• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (36-40% butterfat content)
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) light corn syrup
• 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon course or flaked sea salt

DIRECTIONS :
PREPARE PAN AND INGREDIENTS

• Lightly oil a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan then measure and cut a piece of parchment paper that will fit inside the pan and come up the sides by at least 1 inch. Next, lightly oil the parchment paper and place into the pan. Set the pan aside.Salted Caramels Recipe Step 1
• Cut butter into 8 pieces then combine with heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes until hot and butter has melted. Set aside, we will use this later.

MAKE CARAMEL

• In a small saucepan combine the water and corn syrup. Then, add the sugar, but try your best not to splatter the sugar up the sides of the pan. Now, use a spoon to gently stir the sugar into the water and corn syrup, just moistening the sugar.
• Heat over medium heat until the sugar has come to a boil. Then, cover with a lid for 1 minute. This adds steam/moisture to the pan, so any sugar that may have stuck to the sides of the pan melts and falls back into the boiling sugar.
• Remove lid then attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan. Then, cook sugar for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar reaches a temperature of 320 degrees F. At this temperature, the sugar will take on a light amber color around the edges of the pan.
• The moment the sugar reaches 320 degrees F, carefully pour about a sixth of the butter and cream mixture then stir, using the base of the candy thermometer to incorporate it. Repeat with the remaining cream and butter (adding a sixth of it at a time then stirring). The sugar will bubble violently as you add the butter and cream – so do this carefully and slowly to prevent the mixture from bubbling over the sides of the saucepan.
• By adding the cream and butter, the temperature will drop. Now, continue cooking for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the caramel reaches a temperature of 240 degrees F. This will create a soft caramel, if you want slightly harder caramels, bring the temperature closer to 245 degrees F.
• The moment the caramel reaches your desired temperature, pour into the prepared loaf pan. Cool 20 to 30 minutes then scatter the salt over the caramel. Then, let the caramel cool 3 1/2 hours.Salted Caramels Recipe Step 4

TO FINISH

• Unmold the caramel. If the caramel is too soft to work with, place into the refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes to firm up. Then, use a large sharp knife to cut into your desired shape. We like to cut into 1-inch by 1/2-inch rectangles.
• Wrap caramels in plastic wrap or waxed paper and enjoy immediately, or you can refrigerate or freeze for enjoying later.

Recipe adapted : How to Make the Best Salted Caramels at Home @ inspiredtaste