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Salted Honey & Vanilla Bean Caramels Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 61 reviews

These Salted Honey & Vanilla Bean Caramels are a luscious homemade treat combining rich cream, floral honey, and fragrant vanilla bean, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for a perfect balance of sweet and salty. Slow-cooked to a soft, chewy caramel consistency, they make delightful gifts or indulgent snacks.

Ingredients

Scale

Caramel Ingredients

  • 2 Cups + 2.5 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
  • 2 ½ Cups Sugar
  • 2.5 Tablespoons Honey
  • ¾ Cup + 2 Teaspoons Light Corn Syrup
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Vanilla Bean, Scraped (or 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract)
  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

Topping

  • 2 Tablespoons Flaky Sea Salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pan: Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with butter and line it with parchment paper to ensure the caramel doesn’t stick.
  2. Combine ingredients: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or 5.5-quart Dutch oven, add heavy cream, sugar, honey, corn syrup, salt, and scraped vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract).
  3. Start cooking: Place the pot over medium-low heat and stir the mixture with a spatula as it warms, making sure the ingredients combine well. The caramel will bubble and rise, so ensure the pot is sufficiently large.
  4. Monitor temperature: Using a candy thermometer, continue cooking the mixture until it reaches 248°F (the firm ball stage), which typically takes about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
  5. Add butter: When the caramel reaches 248°F, immediately stir in the room temperature unsalted butter to cool the caramel slightly and stop further cooking.
  6. Pour caramel: Pour the caramel into the prepared parchment-lined baking pan and spread it evenly.
  7. Sprinkle sea salt: After about 10 minutes, when the caramel has set slightly on top, sprinkle the flaky sea salt evenly over the caramel so that the salt sits on top without sinking.
  8. Let set: Allow the caramel to sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, to fully set and firm up.
  9. Unmold caramels: Remove the set caramel slab from the pan onto a cutting board using the parchment paper.
  10. Cut into pieces: Using a sharp knife, cut the caramel into your desired sizes.
  11. Wrap caramels: Wrap each caramel piece with small squares of parchment paper. To avoid fingerprints, especially if gifting, it is recommended to wear gloves while handling the caramel.

Notes

  • Use a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven as the caramel bubbles and rises significantly during cooking.
  • The candy thermometer is essential for achieving the correct caramel stage (248°F) for chewy texture.
  • Sprinkling the flaky sea salt after 10 minutes prevents it from melting into the caramel.
  • Allow ample setting time (8 hours or overnight) for the caramels to firm up properly.
  • Handling caramels with gloves prevents fingerprints and keeps them looking neat if given as gifts.
  • If vanilla bean is unavailable, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract is a good alternative.

Keywords: salted caramel, honey caramel, vanilla bean caramel, homemade caramels, chewy candy, sweet and salty candy

Find it online: https://lucabites.com/salted-honey-and-vanilla-bean-caramels-recipe/