Salted Honey Caramels with Fleur de Sel

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan
• •Candy thermometer
• •8-inch square baking pan
• •Parchment paper
• •Sharp chef's knife
• •Wax paper or parchment squares for wrapping

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on two sides for easy lifting later. Lightly coat the parchment with butter or neutral oil. Set this near your stove. Once the caramel is ready, you will need to move quickly.

2. 2

   Warm the cream

   Combine the butter, heavy cream, and fine sea salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat until the butter melts completely. Keep this warm but not simmering. Cold cream added to hot sugar causes violent bubbling. Warm cream marries smoothly.

   The cream mixture can sit, covered and warm, while you cook the sugar. Just give it a stir before adding.
3. 3

   Cook the sugar base

   In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan (at least 4-quart capacity), combine the sugar, honey, and corn syrup. Clip your candy thermometer to the side, making sure the tip does not touch the bottom. Set over medium heat and stir gently with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the sugar dissolves. The mixture will look grainy, then sandy, then finally liquid and clear. Stop stirring once it begins to bubble.

4. 4

   Add cream and cook to temperature

   When the sugar mixture reaches a steady boil, carefully pour in the warm cream and butter in a slow stream, stirring constantly. The mixture will bubble vigorously and rise in the pot. This is expected. Keep stirring. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the thermometer reads 248°F (120°C). This is firm-ball stage. The caramel will turn deep amber and smell of toasted honey and browned butter.

   Reaching temperature takes 15 to 20 minutes of patient stirring. Do not rush. Candy made too quickly can crystallize or burn.
5. 5

   Add vanilla and pour

   Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract. It will sputter and steam. Pour the hot caramel into your prepared pan in one smooth motion. Do not scrape the pot. Any sugar crystals clinging to the sides will seed unwanted graininess. Let the caramel settle into the corners on its own. Resist the urge to spread or touch.

6. 6

   Finish with fleur de sel

   Wait five minutes. The surface will begin to set but remain slightly tacky. Sprinkle the fleur de sel evenly across the top, pressing the crystals gently with your fingertips so they adhere. The salt should sit on the surface like snowflakes, visible and inviting.

7. 7

   Cool completely

   Let the caramel sit at room temperature until completely firm, at least three hours or overnight. Patience here is everything. Cut too soon and the pieces will ooze and stick. The caramel is ready when the surface feels dry and the slab lifts cleanly from the pan.

8. 8

   Cut and wrap

   Use the parchment overhang to lift the caramel slab onto a cutting board. Oil a sharp knife and cut into 1-inch squares, cleaning and re-oiling the blade every few cuts. Wrap each piece in a small square of wax paper or parchment, twisting the ends like a proper candy. Store in an airtight container.

   Work in a cool room if possible. Warm hands and warm air make the caramel sticky and difficult to handle.

Chef Tips

• •Know your honey source. Visit a farmers market and ask the beekeeper what flowers are in bloom. That conversation is part of the recipe.
• •Fleur de sel is not interchangeable with table salt. The crystals matter. They should crunch between your teeth and dissolve slowly, releasing brine against the sweet caramel.
• •If you do not have a candy thermometer, test by dropping a bit of caramel into ice water. At firm-ball stage, it will hold its shape but yield when pressed.
• •These caramels soften in humidity. In summer, store them in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
• •Wrapped caramels in a simple paper box or tied in a linen bundle make a gift that says more than anything from a store.

Advance Preparation

• •Caramels keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks, or refrigerated for one month.
• •The slab can be made up to three days ahead and cut closer to serving or gifting.
• •Wrapped caramels freeze well for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 piece (about 21g)