Deceptively simple, and melt in your mouth delicious, caramel candies are one of life’s little pleasures. This month’s recipe from Chef Bret Bannon helps demystify the process of converting butter and sugar to caramel, while sea salt and balsamic vinegar add soul and complexity to this fall favorite. Dig out your candy thermometer and start thawing some butter!
Caramel Candies
I perused more than half a dozen caramel candy recipes recently; examples from The Food Network to Cooks Illustrated and everything in between including one from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.
They all had different ingredient amounts and cooking temperatures (anywhere from 230º – 280ºF for the firm ball stage). Some recipes said that it only took 20 minutes to cook 2 cups of sugar to 248ºF (which by the way, I believe to be the correct temperature for the “Firm Ball” stage). Cooking it low and slow, to develop the flavor and so as to not scorch the bottom; it took an hour to bring the ingredients in the recipe below to the appropriate temperature.
Also, since many desserts already include vanilla, I wondered if adding balsamic vinegar would add a depth of flavor and at the same time cut some of the sweetness. I also added coarse sea salt at two different points in the cooking process as salt that has been cooked has a different flavor component than salt added at the end of the cooking process.
Ingredients
2 cups packed (16 ounces) golden brown pure cane sugar
1 cup organic heavy cream
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) PastureLand unsalted butter, plus some for greasing the pan
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, divided
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup Dulce de Leche, room temperature
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, reduced to 1 ½ teaspoons (If using a premium vinegar, reducing isn’t necessary.)
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Grease the foil with butter and set aside.
Combine sugar, heavy cream, butter, ½ teaspoon salt and corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed, medium saucepan and turn the heat to low. (I used a copper sugar pot.) Cook, stirring just until the sugar dissolves, then cook until the mixture measures 248ºF on a candy thermometer.
Early in the cooking process and using a pastry brush, wash down the sides of the pan with water to ensure that the sugar crystals have not “jumped” up on the sides of the pan. When the caramel has come to temperature, it is ready. (A small amount of it will form a firm ball if dropped into a glass of cold water. A calibrated candy thermometer is easier and more accurate though.)
Once it reaches the appropriate temperature remove pan from heat and add the dulce de leche, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and balsamic vinegar. Gently stir to combine and pour into prepared pan; stirring to aggressively will cause air bubbles to form.
Let the caramel sit in the pan overnight. The next day remove block of caramel from pan and cut into squares. Wrap each square in waxed paper, twisting the ends of the paper. The candies can be kept for weeks and will develop flavor as the time passes.
©2009 Bret’s Table
