Fleur de Sel Caramels

The county fair is this week.  I always enter something, whether it be a craft item or something tasty.  The anticipation of possibly getting a fancy ribbon is largely appealing to me, like buying a lottery ticket and waiting three, hope-filled days to see if I've won.  But mostly, the fair is an opportunity for free, objective criticism.  Since quality criticism always leads to a better final product, I just can't resist the temptation to have my creations hacked to bits by the locals. 

This year I'm entering my Fleur de Sel caramels.  The rules state that each piece must be 2 inches by 2 inches, so these are giant.  I wouldn't normally make them this size because just looking at a piece makes my dentist appear in holoform beside me, arms crossed, shaking his head in disapproval.  That said, these caramels are worth the risk, just so long as you brush and floss immediately after eating them.  

The caramel here is soft and melty, with a perfect hint of salt amongst the sweet.  Dipped in Belgian milk chocolate and sprinkled with Fleur de Sel, these caramels are essentially little squares of all things heavenly.  

Fleur de Sel Caramels
(Makes 64 one-inch caramels)

1 1/3 cup heavy cream

2 cups granulated sugar
6 2/3 ounces light corn syrup
6 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt, such as fleur de sel
1 lb Belgian milk chocolate, chopped

Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper.  

Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.  Stir in the sugar and corn syrup and continue stirring until it begins to boil.  Every now and the wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming. 

Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer. 

Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of the salt.

Pour into prepared pan and let set at room temperature until firm enough to cut.

Cut the caramel into squares with a buttered knife.

Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels one at a time.  Place them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper, or parchment until set.  While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on the remaining salt and allow to set completely. 

*Printable Recipe*