Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels

So here it is, the first wedding-inspired post! I've been excited for this post not only because of all the wonderful memories, but because these caramels are simply delicious! Spencer and I took lots of time searching for the perfect favor to give to our friends and family. We wanted to create something extra special, and after trying my first sea salt caramel, I was convinced that we'd found perfection. 

Planning a wedding on a budget can be a daunting task. Being a full time student, majoring in molecular biology and preparing for medical school, WHILE trying to plan a wedding on a budget - that adds a whole new level of difficulty. I also have a tendency to try to do everything myself which I carried right on into wedding planning. Fast forward to the week before the wedding, a couple days after graduation. I was frantically trying to find time to make these caramels, but I came to the realization that I would never be able to finish them all in time. I was so disappointed because I knew that homemade caramels would be such a unique way to show everyone how much we appreciated the many ways they'd shaped our lives. I went to bed that night having resigned myself to the fact that we would have to do something simpler. 

The next day, Spencer came over to help with some other wedding things and brought - SIX batches of caramels. My soon-to-be in-laws had spent the rest of their night making caramels. I was blown away and so thankful for the incredible family I would be marrying into. 

After dipping the caramels, sprinkling them with salt crystals, and packaging them in boxes, they were finally ready. And they were a hit. Our guests loved them and kept asking where we'd gotten them, always so surprised when they found out that they were homemade. Just one of the many little things that made our day perfect.

 So here's what you're really waiting for - the recipe. We found it on inspired taste and followed it very closely since candy-making is pretty finicky business.  

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 1/4 cup of light corn syrup 
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 lb. of dark semi-sweet chocolate melting waffers
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• course sea salt for topping
• parchment paper

Directions:

1) Tear off a section of parchment paper to fit inside a loaf pan, making sure that the edges of the paper come up about an inch on all sides. 

2) Butter the paper well to prevent the caramel from sticking! Oil can sometimes make the caramel taste funny. 

3) Chop up the butter into 6 or 8 pieces. 

4) Combine the butter and heavy cream in a bowl and microwave it until the butter has melted (anywhere from 1 to 2 minutes). I like to microwave it in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, to prevent it from getting too hot and splattering.

5) Set this melted mixture aside to add later. 

6) Combine water and corn syrup in a medium saucepan.

7) Add the sugar, stirring slightly to moisten it. Do your best to prevent the sugar from getting on the sides of the pan.

8) Heat the mixture over medium heat until it starts to boil. 

9) Place a lid on the pot for about 1 minute to allow the moisture to remove any sugar from the sides.

10) Remove the lid and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Make sure that the candy thermometer isn't resting on the bottom of the pan, but hovering about mid-level in the mixture, to give an accurate reading. 

11) Boil until the mixture reaches 320 degrees F (160 degrees C). DON'T RELY ON TIME. It should take about 5 to 10 minutes, but it may take longer or shorter. The magic of caramel is all in the temperature! Cook it longer, and the caramel will be harder. Since this recipe is for a soft caramel, don't let it get too hot! At this point the color of the mixture should change to a light amber at the edges.

12) Once at 320 degrees F, add 1/6 of the butter and cream mixture SLOWLY and stir. Do this until all of the butter and cream has been incorporated. Be careful, because as you add the butter and cream, the pot will boil up. 

13) After all the butter and cream has been added, boil the pot until the temperature reaches 240 degrees F (115 degrees C). Again, this will take around 5 to 10 minutes, but focus on the temperature. Even a few degrees will have an impact on firmness of the caramel. 

14) As soon as the temperature hits 240 degrees, pour it onto the parchment paper inside the loaf pan. 

15) Let the caramel cool for 3 1/2 hours.

16) Cut it into pieces (about 1 inch by 1 inch), and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

17) Create a double-boiler setup by placing the small saucepan inside of a larger saucepan filled with simmering water.

18) Next add 2/3 of the chocolate waffers to the small saucepan. 

19) Stir frequently as the chocolate melts. Once it's melted, add the remaining 1/3 of chocolate and stir until completely melted. As soon as it's melted, remove the chocolate from the heat.

20) The chocolate shouldn't be thin and runny, but just thin enough to stir. If it's too thin, let it cool a bit. 

21) Now its time to dip the caramels! Use a fork underneath the caramels to move them around, coating them completely. Once coated, lift them out of the chocolate with the fork and place them on the parchment paper.

22) Sprinkle coarse sea salt on top before the chocolate hardens. 

23) Let them cool until the chocolate has completely hardened. 

Lastly, make sure to share with lots of friends because its easy to eat more than you should!