Salted Chocolate Caramels Recipes

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Gradually beat in flour, mixing well. Press 3 cups of dough onto bottom of a greased 13x9-in. pan. Bake until set, 20-22 minutes. , Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat until smooth. Pour over crust. Sprinkle with salt, then chocolate chips. Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over top. Bake until light golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.

SALTED CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• 1. Grease the baking sheet with the 1 teaspoon butter, and set it aside on a heatproof surface.
• 2. Combine the sugar, chocolate, evaporated milk, and heavy cream, in a large (6- to 8-quart) saucepan or stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, uncovered and without stirring.
• 3. Once the mixture has come to a boil, insert the candy thermometer. Add the corn syrup, and stir gently with the heatproof spatula until everything is mixed well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to keep the mixture from burning, until the mixture reaches 230°F/110°C (thread stage), about 30 minutes.
• 4. Add the 3 1/2 tablespoons butter and, stirring continuously, cook the caramel until it reaches 238°F/115°C (soft ball stage), 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the caramel from the heat.
• 5. Stir in the salt, making sure to mix well so that it's distributed evenly. Wearing oven mitts, carefully pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow it to cool completely until it's firm to the touch, at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. (If it's humid, cover the caramel with plastic wrap until you can cut it and wrap it in wax paper.)
• 6. Lightly coat a sharp chef's knife with cooking spray, and run the tip around the edge of the baking sheet to release the caramel. Gently turn the caramel out onto the lined cutting board, and cut it into 1-inch squares. Wrap the pieces in wax twisting paper (to turn the squares into little logs, fold each piece over on itself, wrap the twisting paper around it and roll the wrapped caramel against the cutting board, then twist the ends of the paper shut).
• Store the caramels in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 4 weeks; they'll last for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

SALTED CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch straight-sided square metal baking pan with 2 long sheets of crisscrossed parchment.
• Bring cream just to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, then reduce heat to low and add chocolate. Let stand 1 minute, then stir until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat.
• Bring sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt to a boil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, uncovered, without stirring but gently swirling pan occasionally, until sugar is deep golden, about 10 minutes. Tilt pan and carefully pour in chocolate mixture (mixture will bubble and steam vigorously). Continue to boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until mixture registers 255°F on thermometer, about 15 minutes. Add butter, stirring until completely melted, then immediately pour into lined baking pan (do not scrape any caramel clinging to bottom or side of saucepan). Let caramel stand 10 minutes, then sprinkle evenly with sea salt. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours.
• Carefully invert caramel onto a clean, dry cutting board, then peel off parchment. Turn caramel salt side up. Lightly oil blade of a large heavy knife and cut into 1-inch squares.

HOMEMADE CARAMELS WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND SEA SALT

Steps:

• Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Combine white sugar, 1/2 cup cream, light corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 242 degrees (117 degrees C), or until a small amount of the caramel mixture forms a firm yet pliable ball when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
• Pour caramel mixture into baking pan. Allow to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove baking pan from the fridge and allow caramel mixture to warm up slightly, about 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Combine dark and semisweet chocolate chips with shortening in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Cut caramel into 1-inch squares. Dip caramel squares in melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Place on lined baking sheet; sprinkle with sea salt. Chill until hardened, about 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1 cup white sugar and brown sugar gradually. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture gradually, beating well. Cover dough and chill for 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Press a small amount of dough around each caramel-filled candy. Roll into balls. Pour 2 tablespoons white sugar into a small bowl. Dip the top of each ball into the sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle each cookie with some of the coarse salt.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are set, about 8 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED SALTED CARAMELS

Steps:

• Insert toothpick into 1 caramel; dip in chocolate, turning until completely coated. Shake gently to remove excess chocolate. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Remove toothpick. Repeat with remaining caramels.
• Sprinkle with salt. Let stand at room temperature 30 min. or until chocolate is firm.