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Christmas: Chocolate Caramels with Bourbon and Vanilla

Source of Recipe

From "Holiday Cookies" by Elisabet der Nederlanden


Recipe Introduction

"Making caramels is not as daunting as it seems, as long as you have a candy thermometer and you keep a close eye on the temperature. These treats are well worth that extra effort. The sweet-smoky bourbon, flaky sea salt, and vanilla bean flecks amp up these caramels a notch, making them holiday-friendly - at least for adults."

List of Ingredients

• Unsalted butter for the pan, plus 6 tablespoons (3 ounces)
• 1¼ cups heavy cream
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• ¾ cup light corn syrup
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup bourbon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• Flaky sea salt flakes, for sprinkling


Recipe

Butter a 9 x 12-inch straight-sided metal baking pan, then line it with parchment paper, allowing a 2-inch overhang on all sides. In a small saucepan, combine the cream and condensed milk and heat over medium-low heat just until warm. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

In a heavy saucepan, combine the corn syrup, sugar, and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Clip a candy thermometer onto the pan and boil, without stirring, for about 15 minutes, until the mixture registers 250°F on the thermometer.

Turn the heat to medium, add the 6 tablespoons butter, bourbon, kosher salt, and warm cream mixture and cook, stirring continuously, for about 15 minutes, until the mixture registers 235°F on the thermometer. Remove from the heat.

Using the tip of a knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the hot mixture, add the chocolate and stir until melted. Carefully pour or spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and, using an offset spatula, smooth the top. Tap the pan lightly on the countertop to even out the surface, then sprinkle lightly with the sea salt. Let cool at room temperature for about 3 hours, until fully cooled and set.

Using the parchment-paper overhang, lift the caramel out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1½- x 1-inch rectangles. Wrap each caramel in a small rectangle of parchment or waxed paper and twist the ends closed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes about 78 caramels.