This recipe does not require a candy thermometer. This recipe does not require a candy thermometer. That is the most important and best thing about it, so it had to be stated first. Never a frequent connoisseur of caramels, I associated it with the tiny, hard bricks you buy made in bulk at a convenience store or the flavored sugar drizzle stuff you pour on ice cream. Neither were much for me to get thrilled about. I had a hunch the homemade kind would change how I viewed the stuff, but I have a needless yet firm opposition to using candy thermometers.
Thinking this ruled me out of the caramel game, I abandoned the thought until this christmas season. Enough was enough and a thermometer-less recipe was happening because there had to be other souls like me who wanted simple homemade caramels too. Or maybe just don’t have one?
I need to let the no candy thermometer thing go. I now want one, as I continue to hone my domestic crafts and do more ventures.
SEA SALT CARAMELS
Serves about 20 candies
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Sea salt
Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large stock pot over medium low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high. Do not stir. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes until sugar turns a medium amber color. Remove from heat and add heavy cream, butter, and salt. Stir slowly to incorporate. Add vanilla and stir. Pour into prepared pan.
Sprinkle sea salt over top of caramel. Allow to set at room temperature for 1 hour. Cut into squares or divide and roll into wax paper.
- 1 and ½ cups sugar
- ½ cup corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- Sea salt
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large stock pot over medium low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Do not stir. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes until sugar turns a medium amber color.
- Remove from heat and add heavy cream, butter, and salt. Stir slowly to incorporate. Add vanilla and stir.
- Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle sea salt over top of caramel.
- Allow to set at room temperature for 1 hour.
- Cut into squares or divide and roll into wax paper.
Adapted from Food 52.