Anyone who has made caramel knows that time is the enemy. It is very precise! So turn off the cell phones, TV's, radios - put the "do not disturb" sign on the door and get ready to make some soft, chewy goodness! The recipe is from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert. The key here is to make sure you have all your equipment and ingredients ready at hand.
Equipment
- Candy thermometer (a MUST unless you are one of those who is efficient at the cold water method)
- 9 inch square baking pan, lined with foil and buttered
- silicone spatulas or wooden spoons
- 3 qt heavy saucepan with lid and tall sides
- small saucepan with lid
- pastry brush
- parchment paper or silpat
Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels
1 cup (240 mil) golden syrup (Golden Syrup is a refined syrup made from sugar cane instead of corn starch, usually found at specialty stores)
2 cups (350 g) sugar
3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups (480 mil) heavy cream
1-1/2 teaspoons pure ground vanilla beans, purchased or ground in a coffee or spice grinder, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used one whole vanilla bean, split down the middle.)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened
Fleur de Sel (or another large grained, flaky finishing salt - I used Himalayan Pink salt)
Preparation
1. In the sauce pan, cook the golden syrup, sugar, and salt over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. Dip the pastry brush in water and wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan to keep a crust from forming. Cover and continue cooking for about 3 minutes. Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Clean the crusty bits off the spatula/spoon before using again.
2. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan, but don’t let it touch the bottom of the pan (important so you get an accurate temperature). Cook, uncovered (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 305° F/152° C.
3. While the syrup mixture cooks, combine the cream and ground vanilla beans/whole split vanilla bean (not the extract) in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.
4. When the sugar mixture reaches 305° F/152° C, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically, so be careful. Go slowly. I just drizzle in a little cream at a time until the temperature stabilizes. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently. Stir until any thickened syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
5. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 245° F/118° C. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 260° F/128° C for soft, chewy caramels or 265°F/130° C; for firmer chewy caramels. The soft caramels will be easier to cut, the firm caramels will be closer to a toffee consistency.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract (only if you did not use the ground vanilla/vanilla bean). Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight until firm.
7. Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper placed on a cutting board. Peel off the foil. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife. (I poured a little canola oil into a bowl, dipped a paper towel in it, then rubbed it on the knife.) Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane (I put them in individual mini baking cups).
Equipment
- Candy thermometer (a MUST unless you are one of those who is efficient at the cold water method)
- 9 inch square baking pan, lined with foil and buttered
- silicone spatulas or wooden spoons
- 3 qt heavy saucepan with lid and tall sides
- small saucepan with lid
- pastry brush
- parchment paper or silpat
Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels
1 cup (240 mil) golden syrup (Golden Syrup is a refined syrup made from sugar cane instead of corn starch, usually found at specialty stores)
2 cups (350 g) sugar
3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups (480 mil) heavy cream
1-1/2 teaspoons pure ground vanilla beans, purchased or ground in a coffee or spice grinder, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used one whole vanilla bean, split down the middle.)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks, softened
Fleur de Sel (or another large grained, flaky finishing salt - I used Himalayan Pink salt)
Preparation
1. In the sauce pan, cook the golden syrup, sugar, and salt over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. Dip the pastry brush in water and wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan to keep a crust from forming. Cover and continue cooking for about 3 minutes. Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Clean the crusty bits off the spatula/spoon before using again.
2. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan, but don’t let it touch the bottom of the pan (important so you get an accurate temperature). Cook, uncovered (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 305° F/152° C.
3. While the syrup mixture cooks, combine the cream and ground vanilla beans/whole split vanilla bean (not the extract) in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.
4. When the sugar mixture reaches 305° F/152° C, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically, so be careful. Go slowly. I just drizzle in a little cream at a time until the temperature stabilizes. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently. Stir until any thickened syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
5. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 245° F/118° C. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 260° F/128° C for soft, chewy caramels or 265°F/130° C; for firmer chewy caramels. The soft caramels will be easier to cut, the firm caramels will be closer to a toffee consistency.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract (only if you did not use the ground vanilla/vanilla bean). Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight until firm.
7. Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper placed on a cutting board. Peel off the foil. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife. (I poured a little canola oil into a bowl, dipped a paper towel in it, then rubbed it on the knife.) Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane (I put them in individual mini baking cups).
