These Salted Vanilla Bean Caramel Chews will wow everyone! I make them at the holidays, where they are the stars of my Christmas “cookie” tins. I took fresh photos for these Caramel Chews in November 2015. Affiliate links have been used to link to items I am discussing.
Do you ever get to feeling downright irrascible in your desire to conquer a dish/ingredient/style of cooking? Like you’ve been personally challenged? I’ve been feeling that way about caramel. I recently made these caramel shortbread bars that were *to die for* —when you could pick them up intact that is. I had no idea why the caramel ended up so soft (even when refrigerated). I followed the recipe exactly–which annoyingly enough did not include many temperatures.
I think from here on out I will not attempt any caramel recipes that do not include exact temperatures–at least not until I understand caramel better.
Anyway, feeling challenged, I went looking for caramel recipes. Something where caramel was the entire point, and might help me figure caramel out. All of this is kind of ironic because as much as I love caramel in some guises, I am not one of those people who loves anything caramel. It can be too sweet for me.
An original photo!
So when I saw Alice Medrich had a recipe for Salty Caramel Chews in her Pure Dessert
I knew I had a winner. Medrich’s recipes are precise and well-explained; she was exactly what I needed. The recipe is a variation on her Vanilla Bean Caramel Chews–and I used vanilla beans instead of the extract alternative (although I also used some extract), hence the name of my recipe.
The caramel chews were actually very easy–once someone gave me a temperature instead of a color! The hardest thing about them is staring at the thermometer while the sugar is boiling and then wrapping the finished individual chews. I used a tad more salt than she calls for because I really like my caramel salty.
I am submitting these caramel chews to The Domestic Goddess‘s Sugar High Fridays, hosted this December by Cherrapeno, and the theme of which is Holidays. These caramels are perfect–for me anyway–because only the holidays could have induced me to make them and leave them on my table, tempting me all day long!
Another original photo.
- 1 cup golden syrup (such as Lyle's Golden Syrup)
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ t fine sea salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- seeds from 3 vanilla beans (I have also used 1 t vanilla bean paste)
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 3 T unsalted room temperature butter
- high quality coarse sea salt, such as fleur de sel, Maldon, or Penzey's grey sea salt, to taste, for sprinkling (for the updated photos, I used Vanilla Sea Salt)
- Line a 9 inch square baking pan with foil, making sure it overhangs on all sides and does not tear when you are inserting it. Butter the pan thoroughly (I brushed melted butter with a silicone brush to make sure I got all the cracks). Set aside.
- Combine the golden syrup, sugar, and fine salt in a large (3-4 quart), heavy saucepan (stainless steel or copper, for example). Place the pan on medium heat, stirring with a wooden or silicone spoon. Also keep a pastry or silicone brush in a bowl of water next to the stovetop--brush down the sides of the pan to wash the sugar and syrup from the sides. When the edges of the sugar mixture start to bubble, cover the pan and leave for 3 minutes.
- In the meantime pour the 2 cups of cream into a small sauce pan with vanilla seeds. Place it on low heat. Keep an eye on it--if it starts to boil, turn off the heat and cover it.
- After the 3 minutes, uncover the pan and wash down the sides of the pan once more. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan--do not let it touch the bottom--and let the candy mixture boil. Do not stir or disturb it. Keep an eye on the thermometer--as you do this more often, you will get a sense for which parts go fast and which go slow. For example, I know from marshmallows that 220 to 245 can take a while. But 260 to 300 seem to go by pretty fast, so definitely do not wander away. You are looking for 305 F--I think mine hit 310, so you should be ok if it goes a little over.
- When the mixture reaches 305 F turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually pour in and stir the hot cream and vanilla seeds. It may bubble and steam dramatically, so be careful. Adjust the heat--it will vary by burner--so that it boils, according to Medrich, "energetically but not violently". Stir until any syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved into the mixture. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 245 F at which point begin to stir constantly until the mixture reaches 260 F for softer chews or 265 F for firmer chews.
- At 260 or 265, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract, stirring to mix. Pour the hot--be careful!!-- caramel into the prepared pan. Let it set for 4-5 hours, or as long as overnight.
- At 260 or 265, remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract, stirring to mix. Pour the hot--be careful!!-- caramel into the prepared pan. Let it set for 4-5 hours, or as long as overnight.
- Sprinkle the sea salt over the top of the caramel and then use clean hands to press the salt lightly into the caramel so that it sticks and does not brush off. Remove the caramel, using the foil overhang, from the pan. Press a square of parchment paper lightly into the top of the caramel and then invert it. Slowly and carefully peel the foil away from the caramel. Sprinkle sea salt onto the back side as well, pressing it once again lightly into the caramel. Use an oiled knife to slice a 9 by 9 grid--i.e., you will get 81 1-inch caramels. Wrap each one into cellophane or wax paper.
For the collage lovers….
these look great! theres something about salt that eleates caramel to a whole new level
I love the sweet & salty combo. If you ask me, these look perfect!
I am all about conquering food challenges. I want to be able to cook everything! These look great. Sweet and salty is my favorite flavor combination.
salt, vanilla bean, individual wrappage–you really went all out with these, and they're lovely! bravo, laura!
I totally agree that the secret to caramel is a good recipe.
Oh my goodness! I started drooling just reading the name of this recipe, let alone looking at the pictures. Thank you for the post!
wow, just stumbled upon this blog in passing and had to stop and read this recipe… That shiny, salty caramel caught my eye! These look SO delicious. Thanks for sharing!
I've never made caramels, yours are really tempting me to try them!
Thanks so much for your wonderful entry to SHF.
YUM! Those look amazing!!!
Looks great. Reminds me of halwa!
Beautiful caramels. I was surprised when I made caramel the first time that something so basic is so hard to do. My first batch was so hard I almost broke a tooth. It took me a long time to accomplish what you did so effortlessly. Your caramels look like the perfect color and consistency, and nothing is better than a salted caramel.
Absolutely gorgeous! I love anything salty and sweet.
Oh so scrumptious – sweet and salt and pretty – this is one grand recipe.
Yes, I've often felt that desire to conquer something in the kitchen. Hasn't been caramels – yet – but I'll definitely take some of yours! 🙂 Seriously though, great job – and I'm so bookmarking this recipe. It looks so sinful.
A custard base for ice-crream is my nemsis. It's a hit or miss thing with me – drives me crazy yet I keep trying.
I've been wanting to tackle caramel candies specifically the salted version. Yours looks divine as I love that salty sweet combo….YUM!
~ingrid
I love caramels and Lyle’s syrup. I keep trying recipes and can’t find one I love, so I’m super excited to try these!
Let me know if you like them! We love them, I hope they are what you are looking for!
These would be such a great gift to give!! I would love to get them myself 🙂