Chef Ben Says: Make salted caramel
Following the recent theme of simplicity, today, I'll bring you caramel. Caramel is simple, right? Sugar, water, cream, and butter. What could be easier? I'll tell you right now, if you're not into details and temperature control, this simplistic recipe will go south on you in a heartbeat, with potentially catastrophic results. So why do it? Because once you master the details, you have trained yourself to make about a hundred other items. Caramel pushes the cooking of sugar to it's very boundaries. If you can get here, you can get to any of the incredible stops along the way.
Bitterman's Fleur de Sel Caramels
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
2 big pinches Bitterman's Fleur de Sel, for finishing
Line an 8x8 inch square dish with wax paper, and then slightly oil the paper
Combine butter and heavy cream in a small saucepan on low heat until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt sugar, water, and corn syrup together on medium-high heat, until mixture begins to bubble, turns amber in color (350 degrees farenheit on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and gently stir in the cream mixture.
Place back on the burner and boil, stirring vigorously, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (about 10 minutes). Pour into 8x8 dish, then let sit at room temperature until cooled and slightly firm.
After 1 1/2 hours, invert dish onto cutting board. Peel off wax paper and cut caramels into 1x2 inch rectangles. Sprinkle with Fleur de Sel and wrap in 4x5 inch wax paper squares.
That's the recipe from Bitterman's website. Simple enough right? Remember the devil is in the details.
First of all, the single most important piece of advice I can give any fledgling candy maker: CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN. Your pots, lids, tools, thermometers, hands...Anything that is going to touch this sugar and water mixture must be meticulously clean. We are about to coax this crystalline structure into liquid, and it doesn't want to go. One stray crystal in the mix can cause the whole process to sieze into a giant sugar brick, with your less than meticulously clean spoon as the permenant handle to your 2 pound sugar lollipop.
Anyway, I like to start my pot with the corn syrup, sugar, and water with a lid. It traps the steam and helps any stray sugar crystals wash down the sides. after 5-6 minutes of boiling, take the lid off, and no more stirring.
If you're not using a candy thermometer (I didn't have one long enough), you still need to monitor the temp. I'm using a high quality instant read, cleaned thoroughly after each dip. See the nice amber color? This volcano is about ready to erupt...350 degrees.
Be CAREFUL when adding your cream/butter mixture. It will spit and sputter. A lot. If you're not wearing something to protect your hands, it's going to burn you like napalm.
When the pot settles down, put it back on the heat and run it back up to 248 degrees, stirring constantly. This is going to make your carmels gooey and creamy...
Pour it into your prepared pan. Carefully. Because it's super-duper hot.
Let it cool. Salt it up any way you like. Cut it into little squares or little tootsie rolls like mine. Wrap it in cute little wrappers. Eat.
Cheers,
Chef Ben