How to Make Sea Salt Caramels
Prepare your baking pan., Heat the butter and heavy cream in the microwave until the butter melts and the heavy cream is hot., Fill a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan with corn syrup, slowly add the sugar, and stir everything together., Bring the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Prepare your baking pan.
Lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch (22.86 by
12.7-centimeter) baking pan with butter or oil, then line it with parchment paper.
Leave the parchment paper hanging over the sides by at least 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) so that you can pull it out later.
Lightly grease the parchment paper, then set the baking pan aside. , Cut the butter into 8 cubes and put it into a microwave-safe bowl.
Put the heavy cream over it.
Put the bowl into the microwave, and heat it for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave.
Once the butter has melted and the heavy cream turned hot, give the mixture a stir, then set it aside.
Make sure that the heavy cream or heavy whipping cream that you are using has at least 36 to 40% butterfat content.
Do not use plain whipping cream.
That has only 30% butterfat content, and that is not enough to make successful caramels.If you don't own a microwave, you can heat the butter and the heavy cream in a little saucepan over the stove.
Don't let it come to a boil, however! , Be careful not to get any sugar on the sides of the pan, or the sugar may crystallize.
The cleaner you keep your saucepan, the less crystallization will occur, and the smoother your caramel will turn out.Once you have the sugar in, stir it just enough to moisten the sugar, then set the spoon aside.
You will not be stirring the mixture from now on., This will create steam which will then dissolve any sugar grains stuck to the sides of the pan.
It will help keep the sugar from crystallizing., This will take about 5 to 10 minutes.
Do not stir the mixture during this time.
As it cooks, the sugar will start to turn a light, golden color.Make sure that the bottom of the candy thermometer does not touch the bottom of the pan.
If it does, it won't read the temperature correctly. , Once the mixture reaches 320°F (160°C), pour in about one-sixth of the butter and cream mixture into the saucepan.
Take the candy thermometer off of the saucepan, and use the tip to stir everything together.
Keep pouring and stirring the butter and cream mixture one-sixth at a time until you have none left.Be careful during this step.
The mixture will bubble a lot as you add the melted butter and cream into it.
Don't let the mixture bubble out of the saucepan.
Do not let the tip of the candy thermometer scrape the bottom of the saucepan , When you added the butter and cream to the sugar mixture, the temperature will have lowered.
Let the mixture cook until it heats back up to 240°F (116°C).
This will take another 5 to 10 minutes.
This will eventually create soft caramel candies.
If you want your candies to be a little harder, let the mixture heat up to 245°F (119°C) instead., Use a rubber spatula to help guide the mixture across the bottom of the baking pan and to smooth it out.
Be sure to scrape out any residue left inside the saucepan., Let the caramel cool for about 20 to 30 minutes first, then sprinkle your coarse or flaked salt evenly over it.
Let the caramel finish cooling for another 3½ hours.You don't have to use exactly ½ teaspoon of coarse of flaked sea salt .You can use a little more/less according to your personal tastes. , Use the parchment paper to lift the caramel out of the pan.
Place the parchment paper down on a flat surface.
Use a sharp knife to cut the caramel into 1 by ½ inch (2.54 by
1.27 centimeters) rectangles.
If the caramel is too soft, place it in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes first, before you take it out of the pan.
This will help the caramel firm up a little., If you don't plan on eating them right away, wrap the pieces individually in little pieces of plastic wrap, cellophane, or wax paper. -
Step 2: Heat the butter and heavy cream in the microwave until the butter melts and the heavy cream is hot.
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Step 3: Fill a small
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Step 4: heavy-bottomed saucepan with corn syrup
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Step 5: slowly add the sugar
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Step 6: and stir everything together.
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Step 7: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat
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Step 8: then cover it with a lid for 1 minute.
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Step 9: Take the lid off
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Step 10: clip a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan
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Step 11: then cook until the mixture reaches 320°F (160°C).
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Step 12: Pour the melted butter and cream mixture into the saucepan
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Step 13: a little bit at a time
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Step 14: using the candy thermometer to stir it in.
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Step 15: Let the mixture heat back up to 240°F (116°C).
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Step 16: Pour the caramel over your prepared baking pan.
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Step 17: Let the caramel cool a little
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Step 18: sprinkle salt over it
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Step 19: then let it finish cooling.
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Step 20: De-mold the caramel
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Step 21: then cut it into small rectangles.
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Step 22: Serve the caramels.
Detailed Guide
Lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch (22.86 by
12.7-centimeter) baking pan with butter or oil, then line it with parchment paper.
Leave the parchment paper hanging over the sides by at least 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) so that you can pull it out later.
Lightly grease the parchment paper, then set the baking pan aside. , Cut the butter into 8 cubes and put it into a microwave-safe bowl.
Put the heavy cream over it.
Put the bowl into the microwave, and heat it for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave.
Once the butter has melted and the heavy cream turned hot, give the mixture a stir, then set it aside.
Make sure that the heavy cream or heavy whipping cream that you are using has at least 36 to 40% butterfat content.
Do not use plain whipping cream.
That has only 30% butterfat content, and that is not enough to make successful caramels.If you don't own a microwave, you can heat the butter and the heavy cream in a little saucepan over the stove.
Don't let it come to a boil, however! , Be careful not to get any sugar on the sides of the pan, or the sugar may crystallize.
The cleaner you keep your saucepan, the less crystallization will occur, and the smoother your caramel will turn out.Once you have the sugar in, stir it just enough to moisten the sugar, then set the spoon aside.
You will not be stirring the mixture from now on., This will create steam which will then dissolve any sugar grains stuck to the sides of the pan.
It will help keep the sugar from crystallizing., This will take about 5 to 10 minutes.
Do not stir the mixture during this time.
As it cooks, the sugar will start to turn a light, golden color.Make sure that the bottom of the candy thermometer does not touch the bottom of the pan.
If it does, it won't read the temperature correctly. , Once the mixture reaches 320°F (160°C), pour in about one-sixth of the butter and cream mixture into the saucepan.
Take the candy thermometer off of the saucepan, and use the tip to stir everything together.
Keep pouring and stirring the butter and cream mixture one-sixth at a time until you have none left.Be careful during this step.
The mixture will bubble a lot as you add the melted butter and cream into it.
Don't let the mixture bubble out of the saucepan.
Do not let the tip of the candy thermometer scrape the bottom of the saucepan , When you added the butter and cream to the sugar mixture, the temperature will have lowered.
Let the mixture cook until it heats back up to 240°F (116°C).
This will take another 5 to 10 minutes.
This will eventually create soft caramel candies.
If you want your candies to be a little harder, let the mixture heat up to 245°F (119°C) instead., Use a rubber spatula to help guide the mixture across the bottom of the baking pan and to smooth it out.
Be sure to scrape out any residue left inside the saucepan., Let the caramel cool for about 20 to 30 minutes first, then sprinkle your coarse or flaked salt evenly over it.
Let the caramel finish cooling for another 3½ hours.You don't have to use exactly ½ teaspoon of coarse of flaked sea salt .You can use a little more/less according to your personal tastes. , Use the parchment paper to lift the caramel out of the pan.
Place the parchment paper down on a flat surface.
Use a sharp knife to cut the caramel into 1 by ½ inch (2.54 by
1.27 centimeters) rectangles.
If the caramel is too soft, place it in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes first, before you take it out of the pan.
This will help the caramel firm up a little., If you don't plan on eating them right away, wrap the pieces individually in little pieces of plastic wrap, cellophane, or wax paper.
About the Author
Debra Wells
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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