Soft buttery sea salt caramels (Printable Version)

Buttery soft caramels sprinkled with flaky sea salt for a balanced sweet and salty treat.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 1 cup heavy cream (240 ml)
02 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces (70 g)

→ Sweeteners

03 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 g)
04 - 1/4 cup light corn syrup (60 ml)
05 - 1/4 cup water (60 ml)

→ Flavorings

06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (5 ml)
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (3 g)

→ Finish

08 - Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), for sprinkling

# Steps:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal. Lightly butter the parchment.
02 - Combine heavy cream and butter in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat until butter melts and mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir gently to combine, then cook over medium heat without stirring until sugar dissolves.
04 - Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook without stirring until mixture turns light golden and reaches 320°F (160°C) on a candy thermometer.
05 - Carefully pour warm cream and butter mixture into caramelized sugar, stirring constantly as it bubbles. Continue cooking until temperature reaches 245°F (118°C) for soft caramels or up to 250°F (121°C) for firmer texture.
06 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and fine sea salt.
07 - Immediately pour hot caramel into prepared pan. Let sit 5 minutes, then sprinkle evenly with flaky sea salt.
08 - Allow to cool completely at room temperature for about 2 hours. Lift caramel using parchment overhang and cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife.
09 - Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane to prevent sticking.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You control exactly how soft or chewy they are, unlike anything you'll find wrapped in a store.
  • The flaky sea salt hits your tongue at just the right moment to cut through the richness, making you want just one more.
  • Homemade caramels make gifts that feel personal and a little bit fancy without being pretentious.
02 -
  • A candy thermometer is not optional here; eyeballing the color might work once, but temperature is what actually determines texture, and even five degrees makes a difference.
  • Don't skip the parchment overhang and the buttering step, because trying to dig caramel out of a pan with your fingernails is a regret you don't want to live with.
  • That moment when you add the cream and it erupts looks scary but it's supposed to; stirring constantly keeps it from boiling over the sides.
03 -
  • Use a candy thermometer that you trust; if you're unsure about yours, test it in boiling water first to see if it reads 212°F.
  • Browning your butter before adding it to the cream transforms the flavor into something deeper and more complex, worth trying once you've made the basic version.
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