Gifts from the Kitchen – Vanilla butter caramels with fleur de sel

After a 48 hour period without internet connection, I’ll try to be fast and write the recipe for this wonderfully delicious caramels, before something happens again.

The most important thing I have to say today: PLEASE. MAKE. THESE.  Specially if you happen to have some real vanilla, a really good butter and some fleur de sel at home – then go make them right now.

And if your mom has a sweet tooth and great taste, I think these caramels would be a great little gift for Mother’s Day, you just need a pretty bag and some ribbon.

Vanilla butter caramels with fleur de sel (slightly adapted from David Lebovitz’s recipe)

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel, plus more to sprinkle
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tbsp (60 g), butter (salted or not), room temp.

Line a 9 inch loaf pan with foil and grease with butter or cooking spray. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, mix cream, half of the butter and fleur de sel. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrap the seeds. Add the vanilla seeds and pod to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Take away from heat, remove the vanilla pod, and set the cream aside.

In a medium, heavy-duty saucepan, place sugar and corn syrup. Cook, stirring gently, until sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and then cook until the mixture reaches 310F° (150°C) in a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the caramel, stirring with a wooden spoon.

Cook until caramel reaches 260F (127°C). Remove from heat, add the rest of butter, stirring until smooth. Pour caramel into prepared pan and let rest form 10 minutes, then sprinkle some fleur de sel. Let cool completely and cut into pieces with a lightly oiled knife. Wrap with waxed or cellophane paper. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to one month.

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