Vanilla Caramels with Sea Salt

One of the many perennial images on Pinterest is that of a tiny gorgeous slab of caramel topped with fleur de sel. Well, every time I see that image I salivate, and I've been dying to try my hand at a recipe of sea salt-topped caramels ever since.

When I started looking around, I realized there was a catch. Every recipe I stumbled upon involved corn syrup. Corn syrup just gives me the heebie-jeebies. Caramel didn't involve corn syrup when it first arrived on the scene, so why is so prevalent now? I guess it makes the caramelizing process a little bit easier and faster. After searching high and low, I found a recipe at Chez Pim which did not use any corn syrup. Hurrah!

We modified Chez Pim's recipe a bit, most notably adding vanilla because, well, we love vanilla, but also because we wanted to use our homemade vanilla extract prominently in a recipe. We'll post a bit more about the vanilla soon.

These caramels were so good that Sarah and I both ate way too many of them as soon as they were salted and sliced. They are just ridiculously delicious. The richness of butter, the warmth of honey and vanilla, the hints of sea salt. I recommend wrapping a good portion up for friends just so that you don't overindulge. You don't think you will, but you will. Oh, yes, you will.

Vanilla Caramels with Sea Salt

• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tb vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
• 4oz salted butter, room temperature
• coarse sea salt (we used La Baleine Coarse Sea Salt)
• special equipment: candy thermometer 

1. Combine sugar, honey, and vanilla extract in a large non-reactive pot. Turn on the heat and let the sugar and honey melt and cook until caramelized (it will slowly become a deep, dark brown color.)
2. While the sugar is cooking, bring the cream to a simmer.
3. When the sugar reaches the color you like, whisk in the butter in small knobs, until well mixed, then add the warmed cream, whisk until smooth.
4. We let this mixture cook until the temperature reached 260F.  However, we live at high altitude (5,000 ft) and if you do not you may want to try cooking these caramels to a slightly lower temperature.  A couple of pros (via the comments section) let us know that typically 244 is the appropriate temperature to cook caramels to in order to achieve the perfect consistency.  Also, check out the comments for tips on how to rescue caramels that have become too hard!
4. Pour the hot caramel onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Let cool about ten minutes, and then sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Continue to let it come to room temperature, and then cut into small squares, roll, and wrap in packets of parchment or waxed paper.