Sweet Salted Caramels Coated with Chocolate
Bite into the irresistible blend of salty and sweet with homemade chocolate-dipped caramels. Whip up a batch, pop them in mini candy boxes, and cross holiday shopping off your to-do list.
For melting and coating chocolate like a pro, you'll need some essential gear: A kitchen scale and a chocolate thermometer, such as CDN's, are must-haves in your culinary arsenal.
Navigate the world of chocolate with the right ingredients: Professionals opt for couverture chocolate due to its higher cocoa butter content, which ensures a smooth and perfect set. However, it needs to be tempered, and for this recipe, we used El Rey 58.5 percent dark chocolate Discos-which can be found at various specialty grocery stores or purchased online.
The caramels can be prepared in advance and stored until ready to coat. For the best results, create them on a day that's not too hot or in an air-conditioned space. Avoid tempering chocolate in a warm environment as it behaves best at room temperatures between the mid-60s and low 70s. Also, chocolate remains in temper for a limited time, so roll up your sleeves and work swiftly.
Once coated, these delectable treats will hold their shape for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
This recipe was highlighted as part of our DIY Holiday Gifts Advent Calendar, and if you're a caramel junkie, you'll love our caramel frosting recipe to elevate more homemade treats.
- Yield: Approximately 85 caramels
- Difficulty: Medium
- Total: 2 hours, plus cooling time
Ingredients (8)
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into pieces and at room temperature, plus more for coating the pan
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 teaspoons fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt
- 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Cut a piece of parchment paper, ensuring it's slightly smaller than the dish and has a little extra length to rest on opposite sides when pressed in. Butter the parchment-lined pan and place it on a wire rack.
- Pop the cream in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, around 3 minutes. Stir in the sugar, corn syrup, and brown sugar and return to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves, approximately 3 minutes. Lower the heat and boil gently, occasionally stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 255°F, around 20-25 minutes (it'll reach 225°F swiftly and then gradually climb to 255°F).
- Remove the pan from heat, add the butter, vanilla, and 2 1/2 teaspoons fleur de sel, and stir until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and let cool until the surface has set and the dish is only slightly warm, roughly 1 hour.
- Place the baking dish in the freezer until the caramel firms up, about 15-20 minutes (but not enough to freeze solid). Use a knife along the edges to release the caramel, then, using the parchment paper, pull the caramel slab from the pan, flip it over onto a work surface, and remove the parchment. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon fleur de sel and press gently so that the salt adheres. Cut into 3/4-inch squares. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer all the caramels to the baking sheet (ensuring they don't touch) and chill until firm again.
- Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and heat over high heat; once simmering, turn off heat. Place 18 ounces of the chocolate in a dry, heatproof bowl. Position the bowl over the saucepan and, using a rubber spatula, stir until the chocolate has melted and reached 118°F. (Make sure the chocolate doesn't come into contact with any water or exceed 120°F.)
- Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Add the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate and stir until it melts and the temperature cools to 80°F. (To expedite this step, you can place the bowl of chocolate over a bowl of ice water, but only after all the chocolate has melted.)
- Lower the cooled chocolate's temperature to 88°F in the bowl. Once at the right temperature, transfer the bowl back to the saucepan and stir occasionally to maintain the temperature between 87°F and 89°F. (The chocolate must stay within this temperature range during dipping or the caramels won't set properly.) Check the temperature periodically, reheating the chocolate in the saucepan if necessary.
- To determine if the chocolate is properly tempered, spread a thin layer on a piece of parchment paper and chill for 3 minutes. If the chocolate sets smooth and without streaks, it is tempered. (If it doesn't, let the melted chocolate set, start the tempering process over, and continue heating and cooling as directed in step 5-7.)
- Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the caramels from the refrigerator. Drop a caramel into the chocolate and, using a dinner fork, gently turn it to coat. Lift it from the chocolate, tap the fork a few times on the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate, then scrape the bottom of the fork against the edge to remove more chocolate. Place the coated caramel on the empty baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining caramels, using a second baking sheet when the first sheet is full, and ensure that the caramels do not touch. Allow the chocolate to set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
While we couldn't find a specific retailer for El Rey 58.5 percent dark chocolate Discos, you can try searching for the product online on sites like Amazon, Walmart, or specialty food stores that sell gourmet chocolates. Alternatively, visit local gourmet or specialty food stores in your area, stop by chocolate shops or chocolatiers, or make use of wholesale websites to find the perfect chocolate for your chocolate-dipped caramels. If El Rey isn't available, choose another high-quality dark chocolate with a similar percentage of cocoa for your recipe.
- The chocolate-dipped caramels can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks, offering a long shelf life for your DIY holiday gifts.
- For the best results when preparing the caramels, create them in an air-conditioned space or on a day that's not too hot.
- When looking for El Rey 58.5 percent dark chocolate Discos, consider searching online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, or specialty food stores that sell gourmet chocolates.
- While tempering chocolate, avoid warm environments as it behaves best at room temperatures between the mid-60s and low 70s.
