How to make caramels

ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 teaspoons fleur de sel

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

parchment paper

wax paper

expensive candy thermometer

prep:

Line bottom and sides of 9x4 baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment. Bring cream, butter and fleur de sel to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.

Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.

Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) an simmer, add vanilla, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 245 F on thermometer, 10-15 minutes. Pour into baking pan and cool 2 hours.

Timing is everything. The sugar mixture may stay at 230 for a long time before suddenly shooting up to 240°F. As long as you don't let it go beyond 245°F which can happen in the blink of an eye you're good to go. As soon as you see 245°F, wait 5 seconds and then pour. Otherwise you'll end up with toffee... and although toffee is good, if you set out to make caramels and you accidently get toffee you have basically FAILED.

Cutting these is my least favorite part. I actually purchased a pizza wheel to try and cut these into strips. Then I use a small hatchet to cut into smaller pieces and then wrap in wax paper. The pizza wheel is only marginally better than trying to cut a straight line with a kitchen knife.