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Caramels: Chocolate Caramels

Source of Recipe

www.meals.com


List of Ingredients

2 tablespoons safflower oil, divided
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter, softened


Recipe

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil that extends over sides. With a paper towel coat bottom and sides of foil with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside. In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil. Add chocolate and stir until melted and blended; about 2 minutes. Add sugar and honey. Return mixture to a boil, and wash down sides of pan 2 times with pastry brush dipped in warm water, to prevent sugar from crystallizing. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches the 'hardball stage* or registers 257ºF on a candy thermometer; about 8-10 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; stir in butter until smooth. Pour mixture into oiled pan. Let caramel cool (2-3 hours). With remaining tablespoon of oil, coat a cutting board and the blade of a large knife. Remove candy from pan by lifting out foil; invert onto cutting board; peel foil off. Cut caramel into 8 1-inch-wide strips, then cut each strip into 8 pieces. In a tightly covered container, between sheets of waxed paper, caramels will keep 2 weeks at room temperature. *'Hardball describes the point at which a drop of boiling syrup immersed in cold water, when removed, forms a very firm ball that holds it shape but gives a little when squeezed. On a candy thermometer, the hard-ball stage is between 250ºF and 265ºF.