Salted caramels are one of my favorite homemade holiday treats. They’re easy to make (yes! if you can bring a pot of water to a boil, you can make caramels), they don’t require a ton of ingredients, can keep for a long time, and one batch goes a long way. Plus, when packaged in a bag tied with ribbon, they look like they just came off the shelves of Joan’s on Third (or Dean & Deluca for you East Coasters)!
Candy making can seem daunting at first, but if you follow these simple tips you’ll be making perfect salted caramels in no time.
- Read the recipe from start to finish before beginning. This will ensure that you have all the equipment, ingredients, and temperatures down before putting anything on the stove.
- Use a thermometer. Temperatures are very important in candy making. It determines the texture and firmness of the final product (think hard caramels vs soft caramels vs caramel sauce).
- Do not stir the caramel while it is cooking. Stirring will cause it to crystalize and harden, which is the last thing you want these types of caramels to be!
- Prevent crystallization on the sides of the pan by brushing down with a wet pastry brush. Crystallized bits are not only hard to clean up, but can also start burning and add shards to your final product.
These salted caramels are soft with the slightest bit of chew. The walnuts add crunch and play off the savoriness of the salt, which makes them addictive and wanting more. Package wrapped caramels in clear sachets
Salted Caramels with Walnuts
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 120 caramels
- Category: Sweets
- Method: Candy Making
Description
These melt-in-your-mouth caramels make the perfect homemade gift.
Ingredients
1 cup (240g) heavy cream
5 tablespoons (70g) butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup (200g) sugar
1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (85g) agave syrup
1/4 cup (60g) water
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) sea salt or fleur de sel, plus extra for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoon, (6g) vanilla
1 cup (140g) walnuts, toasted and chopped
Instructions
1. Line an 8-inch square baking tin with parchment paper. Use enough parchment paper so that the excess can hang over the sides. Spray or brush with oil.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the cream and butter. Bring to a simmer then take off heat. Set aside.
3. In a larger saucepan, combine the sugars, agave syrup, and water. Mix until the water has fully absorbed into the sugars. Wipe down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush so there are no sugar crystals clinging on. Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the saucepan. Make sure the thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pan. The bottom of the pan is in direct contact with the heat and so will be higher in temperature than the caramel inside the pot.
4. Place the saucepan over medium to medium high heat and bring to a boil. Do not stir the contents of the pot. Once the caramel turns transparent and boils rapidly, at around 250 degrees F, turn the heat off and whisk in the melted butter and cream. The contents of the pan will start to bubble and expand. Return the saucepan back over medium to medium high heat and do not stir. When the caramel becomes an amber brown color at 248 degrees F, take off heat. Quickly whisk in the salt, vanilla, andwalnuts then pour into the cake pan. Knock the pan on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles. Sprinkle the top with extra sea salt. Leave, untouched to set for at least 2 hours.
5. Once the caramels have set, lift the parchment flaps to remove from the pan. Grease a knife and cut into small squares or rectangles. Wrap in wax paper or cellophane.
Keywords: caramels, sea salt, fleur de sel, holiday baking, candy, walnuts
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