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Chocolate Caramels

Source of Recipe

From "The Ultimate Candy Book" by Bruce Weinstein


Recipe Introduction

"These have just a hint of chocolate flavor so that the taste of caramel isn't overpowered. The candy can be made in one pan and cut into bite-sized pieces, or use 1 ¼-inch hard-candy molds."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ cups light cream
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups sugar
â—¦ 5 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for greasing the pan or molds
â—¦ ½ cup light corn syrup
â—¦ 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped


Recipe

Butter an 8-inch square pan or flexible hard-candy molds. Set aside.

Combine the cream, sugar, 5 tablespoons butter, and corn syrup in a heavy, tall-sided pan. Height is important because the cream will make the syrup boil up high in the pan. It can cause quite a mess if it boils over. Place the pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate melts.

Clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil without stirring. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 240° F (soft ball). Continue to cook, stirring constantly and vigorously, until the temperature reaches 248° F (firm ball).

Pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan and set it aside to cool slightly. When the caramel candy is cool enough to handle but still warm to the touch, use a flexible spatula to remove the caramel from the pan in one piece. Place the caramel on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut the candy into 1-inch squares. If you wait until the caramel is cold, it will be difficult to cut. If you're using candy molds, first pour the hot caramel into a Pyrex measuring cup with a handle and spout. This will make it easier to pour the caramel into the small molds. Slowly fill the molds just to the top. Let the caramels cool completely before popping them out of the molds, about 2 hours.

Wrap each caramel in wax paper and store them all in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

Makes about 1 pound