Chocolate Covered Vanilla Fleur de Sel Caramels

Chocolate Covered Vanilla Fleur de Sel Caramels

adapted from Gourmet and Good Life Eats Photograph by Katie Goodman

Ingredients:

For the Caramels:
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste Neilsen Massey
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Fleur de Sel
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup white corn syrup
1/4 cup water
For the Chocolate:
10 ounces Ghiradelli memlting chocolate chopped
1/2 to 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
Vanilla Fleur de Sel

Directions:

Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment. Make sure you have a candy thermometer.
Bring cream and butter to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.
Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.
Carefully stir in vanilla extract, vanilla fleur de sel, and cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248°F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into baking pan and cool 2 hours.
Remove caramels from pan and cut into 1 inch pieces, set aside. I use PME spacers to make this easier and more uniform. Melt the chocolate in a sauce pan over low heat. Add canola oil a 1/4 teaspoon at a time until it reaches a smooth consistency for dipping. Remove from heat and pour into a small bowl.
Lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Dip caramels, one at a time, in the chocolate. Place dipped caramels on the parchment. Sprinkle with a small amount of vanilla fleur de sel. Set aside to dry.
Speed up drying time by refrigerating the caramels until the chocolate is set, if desired.
NOTE: For every 1,000 feet above sea level, you will need to subtract 2 degrees from the temperature indicated in the recipe.