Vanilla Bean Caramels

Are you looking for a fun recipe to try this Christmas?  Put these caramels on that list!  I was emailed the recipe last week and knew I was going to be making them asap! 

My pictures aren't nearly as good as the site I got the recipe from, so if you want to make them, go to her site, read the recipe a time or two, then try to make them.  I've always read that the thermometer shouldn't touch the bottom of the pan, but for me/my pans/my thermometer, it should.  My first batch ended up in the trash and I blame it on my thermometer.  I could smell the sugar mixture burning, but according to the thermometer, I still needed it to raise another 20* before turning the heat down.  My second attempt, I placed the thermometer at the bottom of the pan and my batch turned out perfect!  I'd recommend buying enough ingredients to make it twice the first time in case you have a mishap like I did!

In the original recipe (linked below), she talks about using real vanilla beans or pure vanilla extract, so you'll have to decide which you want to go with.  I went with something in between and used 3/4 Tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, but added it at the very end like she recommends doing with the vanilla extract.  I also didn't add salt to the top of mine.  At the very bottom you'll find the version I used, but read the original recipe first!

Find the recipe here at Mels Kitchen Cafe...

The kids came in the kitchen while I was packaging these and thought it was the coolest thing they'd ever seen.  I let them try them and they were in love.   These little treats will be added to my yearly holiday baking!  I'm planning on doing another batch next week!

I love those little specks of vanilla!

Copied/Pasted from the original with the few changes I made!

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 T vanilla bean paste
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 1/2 cups (18.75 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt

Directions

1. Butter the bottoms and sides (get into the corners, too!) of a 9X9-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
2. Place heavy cream in saucepan. Heat over medium heat until steaming. Remove from heat, cover and let sit (for at least 20 minutes) - go ahead and start making the caramels while the vanilla cream steeps.
3. For the caramels, in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (at least 5- or 6-quarts), stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water, taking care to not splash the mixture up the sides of the pot.
4. Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan/make sure it's touching the bottom of the pan.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat WITHOUT STIRRING or moving the pan. Right as it starts to boil, fill a cup with water and use a pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pan so there are no granules of sugar sticking to the sides of the pan (you probably won't need to repeat this after the sides have been well-cleaned).
6. The sugar mixture will bubble and start to darken. If you haven't already, take the vanilla bean pod out of the cream mixture so it's ready to go once you need it.
7. Cook until the mixture registers 325 degrees F on the thermometer, about 25-30 minutes.
8. Slowly and carefully pour the steeped cream mixture into the caramel - it will bubble and produce a lot of steam! Add the butter and salt. The mixture will have expanded during this step but will "fall" back to a lower level as the temperature lowers due to the added ingredients.
9. Stir the caramel with a clean heatproof wooden spoon or spatula (if it's the one you used in the 3rd step, be sure to wash it to avoid introducing sugar granules to the caramel), avoiding scraping the edges of the pan, and continue to cook, stirring constantly and slowly, until the mixture reaches 245 degrees F, about 10-15 minutes (you can go as high as 248 degrees F for a firmer, but still chewy, caramel, and even take it off earlier for a softer caramel; 245 is perfect in my book). Remove from heat, then add in the vanilla bean paste and stir well.
10. Immediately pour the caramel mixture into the prepared pan.
11. Let the caramels cool completely. I use a large, metal spatula to peel the whole slab of caramel out of the pan and onto a cutting board (or parchment paper).
12. Cut into squares using a sharp knife or bench scraper, wrap in wax paper, and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.