Excellent recipe, easy to follow, and delicious.
The combination of smooth, sweet caramel, crunchy salt crystals, and bittersweet chocolate may sound unusual, but it makes these candies impossible to put down.
Sea salt has become a fashionable ingredient, and should not be hard to find in a well-stocked grocery store. I like to use a salt that has delicate, flaky grains, like fleur de sel, because those add a wonderful texture as well as flavor. If you can't find sea salt, you can substitute a sprinkling of another large-grained salt, like kosher salt.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup honey
6 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp sea salt, such as fleur de sel
1 lb bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Preparation:
1. Prepare an 8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey and stir until it begins to boil. Periodically wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
3. Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer.
4. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of salt.
5. Pour into prepared pan and let set at room temperature until firm enough to cut.
6. Cut the caramel into small squares or strips with a chef’s knife.
7. Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels in the chocolate one at a time. Place them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or foil to set. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on the remaining salt and allow to set completely.
How to temper chocolate
Tempered chocolate is the secret to professional chocolate products. Chocolate that has been tempered is smooth, with a shiny finish and a satisfying snap. If you're planning on making dipped chocolates or molded chocolates, the chocolate will need to be tempered so that it behaves properly and produces candies that are both tasty and beautiful. Learn how to temper chocolate with these easy steps.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 45 minutes
Here's How:
Chop your chocolate. It is best to use at least 1 pound of chocolate, as it is easier to temper (and retain the temper) of larger amounts of chocolate. If this is more than you need, you can always save the extra for later use. Be sure that your chocolate is in block or bar form, not chocolate chips. The chips have additives that allow them to retain their shape at higher temperatures, and so they will not temper properly.
Melt 2/3 of your chocolate. Place it in the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water. Securely clip a chocolate or instant-read thermometer to the side of the boiler to monitor the chocolate’s temperature.
Stir gently but steadily as the chocolate melts and heats up. Use a rubber spatula, not a wooden or metal spoon.
Bring the chocolate to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 C) for dark chocolate or 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 C) for milk or white chocolate. Do not allow the chocolate to exceed its recommended temperature. When it is at the right temperature, remove it from the heat, wipe the bottom of the bowl, and set it on a heat-proof surface.
Add the remaining chunks of chocolate and stir gently to incorporate. The warm chocolate will melt the chopped chocolate, and the newly added chocolate will bring down the temperature of the warm chocolate.
Cool the chocolate. Once the chocolate gets below 84 degrees F (29 C), remove the remaining chunks of chocolate. They can be cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and saved for another use.
Reheat the chocolate briefly.Place the chocolate bowl over the warm water in the double boiler for 5-10 seconds, remove it and stir, and repeat, until the temperature reaches 88-89 degrees F (31 C), or 87 F (30 C) for milk and white chocolate. Do not leave the chocolate over the hot water, or allow it to exceed 91 degrees.
Your chocolate should now be tempered! To make sure it has been done properly, do a spot test: spread a spoonful thinly over an area of waxed paper and allow it to cool. If the chocolate is shiny and smooth, it is properly tempered. If it is dull or streaky, it has not been tempered correctly.
Tips:
To use tempered chocolate, you must keep it warm but not hot, ideally in the 85-88 F degree range (86 degrees for milk and white chocolate)v. You can either keep it over a pan of warm (but not simmering) water, stirring occasionally, or try placing it on an electric heating pad set to “low.” Whichever method you choose, it’s important to stir often so that the chocolate remains a uniform temperature throughout.
What You Need
At least 1 pound of chocolate
Accurate chocolate or instant-read thermometer
Double boiler, or a bowl fitted on top of a saucepan
Rubber spatula
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Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
These days, the combination of dark chocolate, caramel and sea salt is all the rage. It's hip, it's cool, it's hotter than… well, something that's hot. Which brings us to Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels, a holiday staple in our stores since 2009. Buttery, smooth, creamy caramels. Drenched in deep, rich, Belgian dark chocolate. Sprinkled with natural salt from the Dead Sea. A triumph of confectionary genius. The trifecta of sweet-savory indulgence. The triple crown of candy creativity. All for the trifling price of $4.99 for each 6.3 ounce box of 12 two-bite treats.
