salty and sublime
I am not a candy maker. Heck, I’m barely a candy eater. Stop laughing; what I mean is, I prefer truffles, buttery cookies and crumbly, fruity things. But for some reason this season, perhaps another foppish attempt at service journalism, I seem to have gotten myself fixated on candy-making. It makes little sense considering the innumerable fantastic confectioneries in this city, but I think that at least part of the appeal is the long shelf life of cooked sugar. I like the idea of that you can give these to someone over the holidays and, if kept properly, they should last through January. Of course, not if you’ve made them well.
This month’s Gourmet magazine’s recipe for Salted Chocolate Caramels did nothing to curb this desire. Alex and I fell head-over-heels in love with salted butter caramel when we went to Paris last spring and friend had told us to go to the Berhtillon glacier (ice cream shop) on Ile Saint-Louis for the express purpose of trying their marron glacee ice cream sold only in only the winter months. Quite shortly, we were informed that they were out of the marron, but I had barely any time to mourn it when the salted butter caramel ice cream caught my eye. Alex and I shared the most miniscule scoop of the most abundantly complex flavor ever to cross our apparently deprived palates; not salty per se, but bright enough to hit all the notes.
I almost fainted with joy when I saw an article in the New York Times Magazine last month about this very pairing. Apparently, like everything else we grow fixated with on this side of the pond, its old news in France as children in Brittany have long snacked on salted caramels. (Well la-dee-da, I say, it took us masters of excess to pair it with chocolate.) My near-fainting spell segued into a gasp for air when I read that Nicole Kaplan, the pastry chef at Eleven Madison Park discovered salted caramel at the very exact same location as Alex and I in Paris. Finally! Someone who could understand our longing.
Even better, the article included a recipe adapted from the lovely Fannie at Foodbeam, which Luisa gave a spin last month. Molly succumbed to Kaplan’s salted caramel ice cream, and oh, what I would have done for a taste. (I hear Kaplan has just left EMP; does this mean no more salted caramel goodness on the menu? I work close enough to “investigate.” More service journalism, indeed!)
From candy to Paris to the New York Times to the food blogosphere, I seem to have gotten off-track. I can’t help it — sea salt has that effect on me. What I meant to tell you was that I made Gourmet’s Salted Chocolate Caramels tonight but I can’t tell you a thing about them yet because they’re still cooling and it seems that they will be for ages. As you can infer from the nearly 500 words before this, I’ve got some mighty high hopes for them, and I hope they serve our memories proud. Until then, it’s bedtime, and our apartment smells like heaven.
Update: Panic! Stress! Help!
- They really didn’t get as hard as I thought they would. Then again, how hard should they be? This would be a terrible time for me to admit I have rarely even eaten caramel candies in my life. They’re like fudge right now, they hold their shape but feel too soft to wrap in pieces of waxed paper — doesn’t that seem a little sticky? I wholly confess to buying the cheapest candy thermometer on the planet last night. I was looking for that lovely OXO clip-on one and when Bowery Kitchen Supply didn’t have it (Isn’t OXO headquartered upstairs? Can’t they just call up for a refill? Hm, maybe not.) I just grabbed a $5 to hold me over until I found the better one. Makes sense, right? But, I haven’t used a candy thermometer before, and my pot was big enough that only the tip of the thermometer got covered with candy. It was supposed to take 15 minutes for the temp to get up to 225 degrees but it lingered and lingered at 150 while seemingly getting hotter. Finally, I angled it a little more sideways, splashed some caramel on it, and bam, it shot up to 225 and I took it off the heat immediately. Did I wrongly manipulate the thermometer? Am I an embarrassment of a candy-maker? (By the way, Mark Bittman says your caramel candies should register 236 degrees before you remove them; is 225 too low?)
- Ecch, that salt does not belong on top. Salt, as I have quickly learned, belongs in not on confections. Or, at least to please my tastes. It’s a shame, because they’re otherwise a tasty candy. A tasty sticky candy. Ugh, I’m going to brush my teeth now.
Update the Second: Not news, but I’m a moron.
255! Two-fifty-five. FIFTY. Not 225 degrees. I misread the recipe’s final caramel temperature. I have no doubt that with an additional 30 degrees, the caramels would hold their form much better. The recipe has been added, below. They are delicious, but consider yourself warned about the salt. Fin.
Salted Chocolate Caramels
Gourmet December 2006
2 cups heavy cream
10 1/2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), finely chopped [Deb note: my in-house options were Toll House chocolate chips or high-quality 72% chocolate. I went with the 72 percent. The slight extra bitterness is fantastic.]
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt such as Maldon
Vegetable oil for greasing
Special equipment: parchment paper; a candy thermometer
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.
Epicurious’ notes:
• If desired, additional sea salt can be pressed onto caramels after cutting.
• Caramels keep, layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper, in an airtight container at cool room temperature 2 weeks.
• Caramels can be wrapped in 4-inch squares of wax paper; twist ends to close.
Makes about 64 candies.
yum!
You tease you! Those look so yummy, please post the recipe if they are as good as they look!
can’t wait to hear how they taste. I had some salt caramel ice cream in Gainesville at an amazing ice cream shop. Mmmmm.
If you need a quick fix of salty caramel, try Fran’s (http://www.franschocolates.com/catalog/product.asp?cid=8) — she has caramel topped with grey salt and sea salt, and oh yeah - a coating of chocolate in between. Divine!!
Well, I trust the teeth came clean. Salt with sweet - hooray. But I can’t address the thermometer issue, my experience with candy has all been in the mouth not on the stove top.
Beautiful write up!
I know you do want to keep stirring, so the temperature remains constant. You should measure from the middle of the pot if you have concerns about your thermometer. Make sure it’s not touching the side or bottom, or that can affect the reading too.
I make margarita bars that have some salt on them, but I learned a little goes a long way. I use the flaked sea salt and just sprinkle the tiniest amount on. In the picture, your salt looks very fine, which could be the reason it tasted so strongly.
Anyway, these sound like they might be worth another shot! Yum.
I love you.
Those look amazing. I will probably try my hand at them. I made your mac & cheese by the way and am convinced it’s one of the best things I’ve ever cooked. Your website is amazing!
Interesting! I love salty and sweet together, but caramel and salt? Hmm. May be worth a try. :)
BTW…did you get the thermometer that clips on to the side of the pot? That’s what I have and it’s been quite accurate thus far.
Making caramels come out with consistent softness/hardness it difficult. For all of my childhood my mother made caramels every December. It was a family project to cut and wrap them. As I got older I was allowed to stir, but it was nerve wrentching. The candy could go from perfect, melt-on-the tongue firmness to crown-breaking rocks in the time it takes to say, “Mom, it’s ready.”
I didn’t mind the defective batches because we were allowed to eat those. Most of the perfect caramels were given as gifts and saved for X-mas eve.
Hi Deb,
I have been reading you since iVillage and absolutely love your blog. I can’t believe it took candy making for me to delurk. My mom has been making candy for Christmas for years - her fudge recipe is so finicky I have yet to attempt it, but I have taken over her almond roca recipe and am looking to tackle more, your caramel recipe sounds like a good start. What I know about candy thermometers and stirring etc… in relation to candy making is this: 1.) the thermometer can be clipped to the side of the pot, provided the tip isn’t actually touching the side, it should be submerged to about 1/2 inch off the bottom of the pot or so if possible. 2.) when candy making calls for a boil to be maintained you do NOT stir as it can re-crystalize the sugar and make for that horrible grainy, crumble texture instead of melt in your mouth smooth.
I am going to be a total geek here, but one thing I love about candy making is the chemistry behind it - the right heat, the right amount of stirring etc… getting all those little sugar and fat molecules to line up just right to create something so delectable!
Thanks for the constant inspiration to cook better!
Mmmmm…. I’m not a sweets person (as I’ve probably said before and you’ll probably hear me say again), but caramel is a weakness of mine. Especially good old-fashioned ones or chocolate covered…. drool. I’m loving it… sorry to hear about the salt, but at least you figured out why it wasn’t setting :)
Hey Deb!
I’ve been reading for a long time (inc. iVillage), but have never posted. Your website is one of two that consistently inspire me to get in the kitchen and cook and create new things, and for that I want to thank you!
I just have one query, do you think this recipe would still work if I omitted the chocolate? I was wanting to try a plain salted caramels recipe before jumping in and adding the chocolate.
Thanks!
this recipe comes just in time for my caramel class…
but I’d agree– salt in, not necessarily on. it’s just that few people understand balance. the owrd, but also how. you should see people’s faces when I tell them to taste their food AS they cook/bake, not just after!
I finally cut up the caramels, slivering off the salt layer (though a few flecks remain) and right from the fridge, they’re fantastic. Once they hit room temperature, they are too soft, but cold, the texture is perfect. I can’t underscore enough that if you are a dark chocolate fan, use the 72% stuff. You’ll be very glad you did.
Mk - Thanks for the head’s up. They sound delightful. Btw, I didn’t even like caramel before. It always tasted so bland. But, now that I’ve had it homemade I see its charms. I just don’t feel it for the Rolo’s variety. (My husband is appalled right now. He loves the Rolos.)
Liz - Thank you! Yes, that salt was way too fine. Basically, I have pretty beady sea salt we keep in a grinder so the full pieces were a non-option. But, the ground pieces were way too coating. I practically brined them. For shame. Margarita bars sound awesome.
Phc - You started this, you know! You and your request for candies. But seriously, watch the salt on these. Or, just use salted butter in them. There’s got to be some happy in-between.
Heather - Hooray for the Mac and Cheese! I’m glad it’s getting around.
Hilary - I did get the one that clips to the side of the pot, and frankly, it looks exactly like the Oxo one I was going to grab. It was my interest in sweet and salty, btw, that switched me to cooking with salted butter. (Which in addition, lasts extra weeks in the fridge beyond the unsalted variety.) I really like the way it heightens the flavor of baked goods.
Dodi - Thanks for sharing - that was lovely.
Genevieve - Thanks for the advice. I admit fascination with the chemistry, too, the ‘it will work if you do this way’ of it. Of course, this doesn’t help when I read 255 as 225, but still! They’re quite good.
Gisele, and also Yvo - Not sure if this would work without the chocolate, but here! Another recipe, this one from Mark Bittman is where I’d start for non-chocolate caramels. I’ve had a lot of luck with recipes from this book, but I haven’t tried this one yet. Let me know if you do.
Caramels
Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick unsalted butter), plus some for greasing the pan
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 cups sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
Pinch salt
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a small saucepan and turn the heat to low. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves, hen cook, stirring only occasionally, until the mixture measure 245 degrees (a small piece of it will form a firm ball when dropped into a glass of cold water, but the thermometer is an easier and surer test).
Stir in the vanilla and pour into the prepared pan. When the mixture has cooled to room temperature, remove the block of caramel from pan and use a sharp knife to cut it into small squares. Wrap each square in waxed paper or plastic wrap. These keep for weeks, but are best eaten fresh.
Shuna - Yes, balance is indeed the missing ingredient in the salt assault. Just a little would have done the trick. This amount is grimace inducing. (But they’re great once I slivered the salt off. TOO good! I don’t want to give them away anymore.)
I would still eat your salted chocolate caramels! I’ve only made truffles and fudge, so I salute you and your attempt at candy making. I know that lollipops are intricate suckers, so watching the temp is key…but that lesson has been learned. How is your arm doing?
TWO MORE POSTS until NaBloPloMo is DONE! Deb for Blog Queen!
Ooh! When I got my issue of Gourmet, I immediately bookmarked the salted chocolate caramels recipe to make as holiday gifts. It’ll be my first time making candy, so we’ll see how this goes.
Yum! These sound delicious. My candy making skills are very limited, but I love to eat the resulting confections! As for the thermometer, Alton Brown did a segment this week on candy making; he recommends a digital thermometer for the highest accuracy and success.
I recently had sea salt caramel ice cream (Bent Spoon, Princeton) and when I saw this yesterday, I decided to make them last night. I am so relieved you found them to be kind of soft too (and I cooked them to 255, still soft). I had images of packaging these up and sending them out for Christmas, but out of the fridge for 5 minutes, I couldn’t cut them. Now they are sitting in the fridge with a butter knife for instant snacking while the fridge door is open. Not my Christmas gift this year, but definitely a tasty bite with coffee in the morning.
How funny! I was just stopping by playing catching up…while waiting for my chocolate caramels to cool down. I am making a bunch of food gifts before we leave.
Great recipe!
Thanks Deb! I’ll definitely try this recipe! Is there anything that can substitute corn syrup? I’m not sure if I can get that in my neck of the woods (New Zealand). I’ll do my best to find it though!
Just found your site! I saw this entry and was reminded of my caramel making experience last week. I made some Vanilla Caramels out of an older cookbook called Homemade Candy. My caramels ended up a little softer than I wanted too. I was havign problems getting the thermometer to stay in a spot to get and accurate measurement. Oh well, they taste good! I had to cute a couple rows out of the pan while keeping the rest in the fridge and found that to be a good way to keep them firm while wrapping. I am storing them in the fridge as well so that they stay the texture I was aiming for.