These Chocolate Covered Salted Caramels are nothing but perfection. The salted caramel itself is a rich, chewy, melt in your mouth delight.
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The added salt balances out the caramel’s sweet taste, and on its own, could stand up to the best caramel candies out there. However, covered in semi-sweet chocolate and sprinkled with coarse salt takes these caramels to the next level…like never buy store-bought chocolate caramels again, level.
INGREDIENTS:
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Light corn syrup
- Heavy whipping cream
- Salted butter (room temperature)
- Salt
- Pure vanilla extract
- Semisweet chocolate, chopped or use chocolate chips
- Coarse salt for topping candies
Tools:
How To Make Chocolate Covered Salted Caramels
Making candies that require cooking can be intimidating; however, if you have a digital candy thermometer, all is possible with very little stress. This recipe is very straightforward, and the directions are super easy, so with Valentine’s Day coming soon, you will be able to whip these babies up and make your own box of candies for the Holiday.
In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, combine granulated sugar, light brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, salt, and salted butter.
Over medium heat, stir all the ingredients until the butter has melted. I like using a silicone spatula so I can mix without any ingredients sticking and also so I can thoroughly scrape down the sides of the saucepan. Once all the butter has melted, insert your candy thermometer and let the caramel cook. You will want to stir every couple of minutes to ensure the caramel doesn’t burn during the cooking processes.
At the same time you are waiting for your candy, which can take anywhere from 20-35 minutes, prep your pan. I found that a pan with the dimensions of somewhere around 8×6 was perfect. I have a 6 cup glass storage container that gives me the exact height I’m looking for in my candies, around 1/2 inch thick. If you want a thinner caramel, an 8×8 will work great. Line your pan with parchment paper to make removal easier.
Let’s talk about cooking the candy for your Chocolate Covered Salted Caramels. Depending on what type of candy you are making, your mixture needs to reach a specific temperature, or the candy will not have the right consistency. We are looking for a smooth, chewy texture known as the firm-ball stage of candy making for this type of caramel candy. The mixture’s temperature needs to reach between 245 F degrees and 250 F degrees, and after curing at room temperature, the result is a candy that holds its shape when cut but is still moldable. When I used my digital candy thermometer, 244 F degrees was the magic number.
As soon as the caramel reached that temperature, I immediately removed the saucepan from the heat and added my vanilla extract, stirring quickly. Pour the caramel into your prepared dish and give a couple of taps to remove any air bubbles. Let the caramels cure at room temperature for at least 2 hours undisturbed.
Cutting The Caramel Candies
When completely dried, remove the caramels from the pan and cut them into your desired size and shape. If the mixture seems too sticky, where the caramel is taring instead of cutting, put back into the pan to let dry a little longer, or pop into the fridge to help firm up.
I found that rectangles that are 1×2 inches in size were the right size for me. I blame it on the pregnancy. A cute 1-inch square would be a good representation of the size you get in a traditional box of chocolates. Feel free to create your own size and shape to customize your Chocolate Covered Salted Caramels.
Once you have all your caramels cut, place them in the fridge to chill before their chocolate bath. Melt your chocolate slowly in the microwave in short bursts, stirring often, or over a double broiler. I prefer a double boiler because once you remove it from the stove, the hot water keeps the chocolate at the perfect dipping temperature.
Drop the caramels in the melted chocolate one at a time, coating entirely. Use a fork to lift out the caramel and tap off the extra chocolate.
Slide the Chocolate Covered Salted Caramel to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or a silicone mat. After you do a couple of caramels, sprinkle with coarse salt.
Let these addictive Chocolate Covered Salted Caramels dry before storing them in an airtight container.
IF YOU LIKED THIS RECIPE, YOU’LL WANT TO TRY THESE!
I mistakenly put the caramel in the fridge immediately after removing from heat and am attempting to cut and shape caramels but find they are losing shape. Can I put caramels back in pan and let them cure at room temp still? Would that help them hold shape for the next time I cut them, or is it too late for this now that they’ve been refrigerated once?
Hi Marissa,
Thank you for visiting TheHoneyBee.com! How long were they in the fridge? If they were in for a while and still didn’t set up, they might not have been cooked long enough to reach the proper temperature. Ideally, you are looking for around 243-245 F. degrees. You could try heating the caramels back up on medium-low to around 244 F degrees, then leaving it room temperature to cure, and then cutting and shaping. Popping them into the fridge right away probably cooled them too quickly and they didn’t have enough time to set! Hope this helps!