salty bits of heaven

look at those little buttons of joy! 

I had a few spare moments and left over heavy cream in the fridge so I thought it would be a perfect time to make some caramels.  It also happens to be Father's Day this weekend and I know a certain fatherly figure who loves caramels.  In truth this fatherly figure would like anything I make because well his is my grandfather and he has to love everything I do or at least thats what I tell him. 

These caramels are actually a lot like Frank(my grandfather) they are salty and sweet and a little hard to chew.  They are more of a melt in your mouth treat the soft and chewy treat.  Something you have to savor to really enjoy.  That's right I just compared my GRANDFATHER to caramel I think about food like a million times a day its was bound to happen! 

The best part about these caramels is that they have butter and salt in them two things I like a lot.  You are probably thinking I have really bad eating habits with all this butter and cream and eggs and now I am talking about salt.  I really don't eat bad I may eat to much on a very regular basics but it usually involves lots of good for you foods.  I am not the only person who loves salt there are blogs dedicated to the stuff and for good reason a tiny pinch of some really good salt can make for great flavor.  I used fleur de sel for these caramels which is expensive but as this article explains theres a reason for that.

 

SALTED CARAMELS (i don't remember where the recipe came from sorry)

makes about 40 pieces

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup syrup for rice syrup

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 plus 1/4 teaspoon Fleur de Sel 

directions:

Line a loaf pan with foil and grease lightly.

In a small sauce pan heat cream, vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil then cover and remove from heat.

In 4 quart saucepan combine sugar and corn syrup and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Cook until sugar turns golden brown about 10 minutes and reaches 310 degrees on a candy thermometer (I am not gonna lie i don't have a working thermometer I just guess).  Do not stir sugar mixture swirl the pan as needed to avoid hot spots but don't stir.

Once the sugar is golden brown take off heat and pour in the cream mixture. This stuff is gonna bubble liek crazy stir until well combined then return to heat.  Cook for about 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 260 degrees.  At this stage you can also use the soft ball test.  which means drop a little bit in ice cold water and if it turns to a soft ball you are good to go.

Now take off heat and add the butter stirring until nice a smooth.  Pour into the prepared loaf pan asap.

After about ten minutes sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt on top and let cool.

slice with a sharp knife and wrap in 3" bits of wax paper. 

I then kept in a vintage canning jar you know cause I wanted to show off jar.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY FRANK!