Homemade Sea Salt Caramels.  These little sweet treats make terrific little gifts for friends and family. The creation was a blue ribbon winner at the San Diego County Fair back in 2013. They are a go-to recipe for any candy lover. Recipe credit goes to Nancy Flint. My niece Crystal made them and I am seriously drooling. The recipe is short and sweet and she put together a terrific “how to” so you can experience them yourself.  Thanks to Karo Corn Syrup for supporting this recipe contest for the best bite-size sweet treats. Enjoy!

-Cyndi

Homemade Candy Made Easy

I now have a new favorite sweets recipe. These homemade sea salt caramels are so buttery they melt in your mouth. I was a little nervous at first about making them because I had never made any kind of candy. I was surprised at how easy this was. Be prepared with some patience–when waiting for the caramel to reach the right temperature–and then letting it cool. That said, they are totally worth the wait!

I like to get everything organized first, so all my key ingredients are at hand…

First, prep your pan (with oil/parchment) and cube your butter (3/4 cup).

Put 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup Karo corn syrup, 2 cups sugar and the butter in a large pot.

Bring to a boil over high heat and stir to melt the butter. This should take about 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, stir often, and boil until temperature on candy thermometer reaches 248 degrees. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon sea salt.

Immediately pour into your prepared pan (great tip from the winner…don’t scrape the pot..it will prevent a smooth finish to the candy and be problematic in other ways).

Wait 5 minutes and then sprinkle the top of the caramel with the remaining 1-2 teaspoons sea salt. It’s important to wait the full 5 minutes, otherwise the sea salt will sink into the caramel.

Let the caramel stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

If you like a softer chew, keep your caramels at room temperature. I like mine a bit chewier, so I individually wrapped them and stored them in the fridge. Next time I will boil the caramel a tish warmer to try a firmer finish…just for fun. These were gone in no time, so I am looking forward to the next round already!

-Crystal