Chocolate Caramels
When you make these chocolate caramels, everyone is going to think you got them from a gourmet candy shop. You know the ones that charge 2 dollars for a single piece of candy that would cost 25 cents somewhere else? These are that good. And once you learn how easy they are to make, you might never struggle for a gift idea again. You’ll gift them during holidays, for housewarmings and dinner parties…and everyone will be delighted. Just try it.
What If I Don’t Have A Candy Thermometer?
You can still easily make these if you don’t have a candy thermometer. Before thermometers were common in household kitchens, one would do the cold water test to find out if their candy was cooked long enough. In most candy making, how long you cook the syrup determines how soft or hard the candy will be when it sets. The longer you cook candy, the harder the result will be.
For caramels, cook the mixture long enough so that a small amount of it forms a firm ball when dropped into cold water. This is known as firm ball stage. On a thermometer, this would range anywhere from 242F/117C to 250F/121C. If you cook it below 242F/117C, your caramels won’t set and they will be runny. If you cook it above 250F/121C, they will turn out too hard and you will have to eat them with a sledgehammer.
How Do I Store Them And For How Long?
Store your chocolate caramels in a cool dry place for up to 3 months at room temperature. If your house is very warm, store them in the fridge as sometimes the butter can release from the candy. For a longer shelf life, you can store them in an airtight freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
I hope you’ll give these chocolate caramels a shot. If you do, let me know how they turned out for you and share a picture of it!
Chocolate Caramels
Ingredients
- 500 ml heavy cream 35% cream, 2 cups
- 400 grams sugar 2 cups
- 328 grams corn syrup 1 cup
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 3 grams salt ½ teaspoon
- 115 grams unsalted butter ½ cup, cold, cut into pieces
- 5 grams vanilla extract 1¼ teaspoons
Instructions
- Lightly oil an 8 inch square pan and set aside. In a small pot, heat heavy cream on medium low stirring occasionally. When lukewarm, remove from heat and set aside.
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, chocolate and salt. Heat over medium, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and chocolate is melted. Bring to a boil and stop stirring. Allow the mixture to cook over medium heat until it reaches 250°F/121°C or until a small amount dropped in cold water forms a firm ball. This should only take 3-5 minutes.
- Slowly add in lukewarm cream, stirring continuously so the mixture never stops boiling. Once all the cream has been added, continue to cook over medium heat again, without further stirring, until the mixture reaches 250°F/121°C. This could take 45-60 minutes. When a small amount dropped into cold water forms a firm ball, it has cooked enough.
- Add butter slowly, bit by bit so mixture never stops boiling. Stir butter in well and cook to 250°F/121°C once again. This will only take 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add vanilla and stir in well. Making sure your oiled 8 inch pan is on a rack or other heat proof surface, pour the hot caramel in without smoothing the surface or scraping the pot too much. Work quickly so as much of the liquid candy gets transferred into the pan as possible. Allow the caramel to cool and set for a few hours.
- Once set, place a piece of waxed paper on a cutting board large enough to fit the candy. Run a knife along the sides of the caramel to loosen. Flip the pan over onto the waxed paper and tap it to release the candy. Cut into 64 equal sized squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper and store in a cool dry place.