This week’s recipe is from Le Cordon Bleu Confectionery School

Chewy caramels with fine ‘fleur de sel’ sea salt

FOR 60 CHEWY CARAMELS
Preparation time: 1 h • Resting time: 2 h • Cooking time: 20 min

INGREDIENTS
250 ml cream
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and scraped
190 g sugar
175 g glucose
15 g room-temperature butter
3 g fine “fleur de sel” sea salt

EQUIPMENT
1 x 20 x 12.5 cm x 1.5 cm high (or edges of the same dimensions) stainless steel tray
1 cooking thermometer
Cellophane paper or baking parchment

Line the base of the stainless steel tray with baking parchment.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the vanilla (pod and seeds) until it boils. Set aside.

Pour the sugar and glucose into another saucepan and heat to a dark caramel (180°C on the cooking thermometer).

Remove the vanilla pod from the cream, then carefully stop the caramel cooking by pouring in a small amount of hot cream. Whisk to combine. Whisk in the remaining cream in batches to prevent the caramel from setting.

Whisk constantly to prevent the caramel sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook the soft caramel until it reaches 120°C on the thermometer.

Add the butter and fine ‘fleur de sel’ sea salt, stir well, then carefully fill the stainless steel tray and leave to cool to room temperature.

When the caramel has set (about 2 hours), remove from the tray by running the blade of a knife around the inside edge, then tip onto a board covered with parchment paper and carefully remove the paper.

Using a large knife, cut out 2 cm squares, then wrap the soft caramels in cellophane paper or baking parchment.

Store the chewy caramels at room temperature, away from moisture, for up to 3 weeks.