SALTED BUTTER CARAMELS

SALTED BUTTER CARAMELS image

Yield 60 caramels

Number Of Ingredients 7

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
â cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Fleur de sel or flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
4 tablespoons (Â½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Steps:

Lightly coat an 8x8" baking pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper leaving a 2â overhang on all sides. Place cream in a small saucepan and scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Heat over medium heat until cream just begins to steam, about 5 minutes; remove from heat and let cool slightly; remove vanilla pod. Fit a small saucepan with thermometer and bring sugar, corn syrup, and Â¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until thermometer registers 350Â° and mixture turns a deep amber color, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla cream and a pinch of fleur de sel (mixture will bubble vigorously, then the heat will drop quite a bit). Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, until thermometer registers 248Â° and caramel is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove caramel from heat and whisk in butter, a little at a time, until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and let cool 4 hours or overnight. Using parchment paper, lift caramel from pan; cut into Â¾â pieces and sprinkle with fleur de sel before serving. Do Ahead: Caramels can be made 5 days ahead. Store wrapped tightly at room temperature.