Soft Caramels
Soft salted caramels that melt in your mouth. These decadent treats are the perfect present for your mum this mother's day or just a little something for yourself, you deserve it.
KEY DETAILS
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Set Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours
Special Equipment: candy thermometer
INGREDIENTS
500 creme fraiche
2 vanilla beans
352g Glucose
380g caster sugar
30g salted butter
Maldon salt
DIRECTIONS
Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and have all of your ingredients weighed up and ready to use.
Place the creme fraiche in a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the creme fraiche and stir with a silicone spatula to distribute them evenly. Place the heat on your hob on low-medium heat and stir frequently until warm. Keep warm on the side (you want to make sure it is warm when you add it to your hot sugar).
Add the glucose to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and stir in the caster sugar one third at a time, stirring just to incorporate before adding the next third.
After about 3 minutes when the bubbles in the sugar are a rich amber color, and the temperature has reached 176C, reduce the heat to medium.
Working quickly, stir in the butter.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and slowly add the warm creme fraiche. If you pour in the creme fraiche too quickly the sugar mixture will bubble over and could burn you.
Continue cooking the mixture on medium heat, stirring and scraping to keep the mixture from scorching, until the temperature reaches 116C-118C.
Before removing the mixture from the heat, test the consistency on a cold plate. Drop a small amount on the plate and it should firm up quickly, not spread, come up from the plate easily and not feel sticky to the touch.
If the consistency is good then pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle maldon or sea salt over the mixture. Place into the fridge and allow to cool for 2 hours.
Once the caramels are firm, use scissors to cut your caramels into even pieces and wrap them in squares of parchment paper so you have individual candies.
Caramels can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.
TOP TIPS
Use hot water to heat your knife before trying to cut the caramels, this will help you get clean lines.
For some added luxury, try dipping the caramels in chocolate and topping with some extra salt.
