Salted Caramels

I would like to introduce you to my new love... salted caramel! Now I know this is a thing that's been doing the rounds on food blogs for a while, but I am only just now jumping on the band wagon. "Salted caramel, where have you been all my life?" Caramel has always been a favorite flavour of mine, but when combined with sea salt, it takes on a whole new dimension. The perfect balance of sweet and salty!


I made two batches. The first, plain caramels cut in to 1 inch squares. The second batch, I put in to chocolate cups with pecans. Either way, these are Soooo yummy!!!
The recipe listed below is for the caramels in the chocolate cups.
Enjoy!

Salted Caramels

Ingredients

• 2 cups chocolate (use the good stuff, not baking chocolate!)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling on top.
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup or golden syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup whole pecans

Directions

1. In a double boiler, melt 1 cup of chocolate. Carefully coat the inside of 24 patty pans, or mini cupcake papers with melted chocolate. I like to put a spoonful in the patty pan and just carefully turn it until coated. Place them in a mini cupcake tin as you go in the fridge so they harden.


2. Bring the cream, butter and sea salt to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat and set aside.


3. Boil the sugar, corn syrup/golden syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan; then cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 248°F (120°C


4. Carefully stir in the cream mixture—the mixture will bubble up. Simmer, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. The temperature should not go higher than 250°F(121°C)


5. Carefully spoon caramel into prepared chocolate cups, filling about 1/4 full.


6. place 1 whole pecan on top of caramel and then spoon a little more caramel over the pecan, making sure that you do not fill the caramel above the edge of the chocolate cup.


7. Melt the remainder of the chocolate and when smooth, top the caramel cups with chocolate. Gently wiggle baking tray to smooth out the top.


8. Top each cup with a small pinch of sea salt.


9. Refrigerate to harden and set the chocolate. Once set, store at room temperature.