Walnut Caramels With Sea Salt Food

WALNUT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 13x9-in. pan with foil; grease foil with 2 teaspoons butter., In a large heavy saucepan, combine cubed butter, sugar, 1 cup cream and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Stir in remaining cream very slowly so that mixture does not stop boiling., Using a pastry brush dipped in water, wash down the sides of the pan to eliminate sugar crystals. Cook and stir until thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage)., Remove from heat; stir in walnuts and vanilla. Immediately pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm, about 5 hours or overnight., Using foil, lift candy out of pan; remove foil. Using a buttered knife, cut caramel into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

WALNUT CARAMELS WITH SEA SALT

Steps:

• Grease bottom and sides of 9 by 9 inch pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. grease the top of the parchment paper. Set a side.
• Combine cream, corn syrup, honey and sugar in a large pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, to 260F, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in butter, kosher salt and vanilla. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining sea salt over the caramels. Cool. Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan and invert on a cutting board. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Roll individually in waxed paper.

FLEUR DE SEL CARAMELS

Steps:

• Prep the pan.
• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil.
• Boil the sugar.
• In a deep saucepan (6 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches deep), combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir -- just swirl the pan.
• Heat the cream.
• In the meantime, in a small pot, bring the cream, butter and 1 teaspoon of fleur de sel to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• Finish the caramel.
• When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
• Fill the pan.
• Very carefully (it's hot!) pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.
• Cut the caramel.
• When the caramel is cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the square in half.
• Roll it up.
• Starting with a long side, roll the caramel up tightly into an 8-inch-long log.
• Cut into pieces.
• Sprinkle the log with fleur de sel, trim the ends and cut into 8 pieces. (Start by cutting the log in half, then continue cutting each piece in half until you have 8 equal pieces.) It's easier to cut the caramels if you brush the knife with flavorless oil like corn oil.
• Wrap the candies.
• Cut glassine or parchment paper into 4-by-5-inch pieces and wrap each caramel individually, twisting the ends. Store in the refrigerator and serve the caramels chilled.

SALTED CARAMEL NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the nuts on a sheet pan, spread them out and roast them for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Set aside to cool.
• After the nuts are cooled, place the sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a medium (10-inch) saute pan and mix with a fork until all of the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar melts; from this point on, don¿t stir the caramel, swirl the pan! Don¿t worry, the mixture may look as though it¿s crystallizing. Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Careful, the caramel is very hot!) Off the heat, quickly add the vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the nuts and the kosher salt and toss with 2 large spoons until the nuts are completely coated.
• Pour the nuts and any extra caramel in the pan onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the nuts out in one layer, pulling them apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When they¿re completely cooled, carefully break the nuts into large clusters with your hands, trying not to break the nuts too much.

SEA SALT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Prepare an 8-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place the cream in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.
• Stir in the sugar, corn syrup and honey and stir until it begins to boil. Periodically wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent sugar crystals from forming.
• Cook the candy, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 257 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove the pan from the heat immediately and stir in the butter, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of salt.
• Pour into prepared pan and let set at room temperature until firm enough to cut.
• Cut the caramel into small squares or strips with a chef's knife.
• Temper the chocolate and dip the caramels in the chocolate one at a time. Place them on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper or foil to set. While chocolate is still wet, sprinkle on the remaining salt and allow to set completely.