Salted Caramel

Yields 64 bonbons/10 grams each/1x1 inch (2.5cm). These make some of the best gifts ever, whether the event is Christmas, a birthday, or a thank you for a favor. Making caramel requires your undivided attention; once you begin you should never walk away. Prepare all of your tools and equipment in advance, including cake pan lined with oiled parchment and tools you’ll need. Keep children out.

Heat up heavy cream with vanilla seeds and pod. Cover and let them infuse. Line a 8x8 inch/20cm cake pan with oiled parchment. For the caramel a sec (caramel without water), cook one-third of sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium high heat. When it begins to melt, stir with a spatula or a whisk every so often until it turns into amber color. Repeat this step with remaining sugar and continue cooking until the caramel turns into deep amber color and shows no more lumps, reduce the heat – when it begins to smoke; turn off the flame Pass the hot vanilla infused heavy cream through a sieve over the caramel. Stir and turn the heat back on, and cook until thermometer reads 250ºF/120ºC. Turn off the heat and add the cubed butter and salt. Stir up mixture until completely smooth. Pour in the oiled parchment lined pan; allow to sit, undisturbed for all night.

To unmold the caramel slab, top with wax paper in contact and lift them out of the pan by the parchment paper flaps and flip onto a cutting board. Remove parchments. With a very sharp knife, cut the caramel block in half, then each half in 4 strips. Divide the 8 strips into 8 candies (8x8=64) leaving space between each piece otherwise caramels will reconnect from each other. Sprinkle some fleur de sel if the caramels are served the same day or wrap them without salt; it will melt. Wrap each caramel in wax paper and twist the ends closed. Caramels will keep at room temperature for more than two weeks. Enjoy!