Fleur De Sel Caramels

Serves: 4

Gideon Batz

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

51

Spice

41

Sweetness

63

Sourness

39

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.4

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1.5 cups

Sugar

1 cup

Heavy Cream

5 tbsps

Unsalted Butter

Directions:

1

Prep the pan

2

Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil

3

Boil the sugar

4

In a deep saucepan (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

5

Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown

6

Don't stir -- just swirl the pan

7

Heat the cream

8

In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat

9

Turn off the heat and set aside

10

Finish the caramel

11

When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture

12

Be careful -- it will bubble up violently

13

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

14

Fill the pan

15

Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm

16

Cut the caramel

17

When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board

18

Cut the square in half

19

Roll it up

20

Starting with a long side, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch-long log

21

Cut into pieces

22

Sprinkle the log with fleur de sel, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces

23

(Start by cutting the log in half, then continue cutting each piece in half until you have 8 equal pieces

24

) It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with flavorless oil like corn oil

25

Wrap the candies

26

Cut glassine or parchment paper into 4-by-5-inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends

27

Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled

28

Photograph by Quentin Bacon