Soft Butter Sea Salt Caramels (Print Version)

Soft, buttery caramels with flaky sea salt for an ideal sweet and salty flavor balance.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 1 cup heavy cream
02 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

→ Sweeteners

03 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 cup light corn syrup
05 - 1/4 cup water

→ Flavorings

06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Finish

08 - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal, then lightly butter the parchment.
02 - In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and butter, warming over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.
03 - Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir gently to combine, then cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves.
04 - Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook without stirring until the mixture turns light golden and reaches 320°F on a candy thermometer.
05 - Carefully pour the warm cream and butter mixture into the caramelized sugar. Stir constantly and cook until the mixture reaches 245°F for soft caramels or up to 250°F for firmer texture.
06 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and fine sea salt.
07 - Immediately pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan. Let sit for 5 minutes, then sprinkle evenly with flaky sea salt.
08 - Allow caramel to cool completely at room temperature for about 2 hours, then lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into 1-inch squares using a sharp knife.
09 - Wrap each caramel in wax paper or cellophane to prevent sticking.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're homemade magic that tastes infinitely better than store-bought, without requiring professional candy-making skills.
  • The sweet-salty balance hits differently every single time—addictive in the best way.
  • Wrapping them in wax paper feels like giving yourself (or someone else) a little gift.
02 -
  • Don't stir the sugar mixture before it boils—this can cause crystallization that ruins the whole batch, which I learned the hard way.
  • A candy thermometer is non-negotiable here; eyeballing the color alone can lead to caramels that are either too soft or embarrassingly hard.
  • The cream will bubble like it's about to overflow when you pour it in, but this is normal—just keep stirring and trust the process.
03 -
  • Dip your knife in warm water and wipe it between each cut—this prevents the caramel from sticking and tearing.
  • If your caramels seem grainy after cooling, you likely stirred too much before boiling or the temperature climbed too fast; next time, keep the heat steady and patient.
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