Chardonnay Smoked Fleur de Sel Caramels with Jameson dipped in dark chocolate
Written by Jamie on January 07, 2012
For Christmas this year, I made Fleur de Sel caramels for my friends and family. Its actually quite simple to make with the right tools. One of the essential tools is a gas stove. Using an electric stove took 2 - 3 times longer, as the heat is more uneven and difficult to control. Other essential tool include a candy thermometer, a chocolate thermometer, chocolate dipping tools, 1 and 1.5/2 quart sauce pans.
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tsp Jameson Irish Whiskey
- rounded 1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon Chardonnay Smoked Fleur de Sel
- 1/2 cup (160 g) brown rice syrup (I used Lundberg brown rice syrup, purchased at Whole Foods)
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- 4 tablespoons (60 g), total, salted butter, cubed, at room temperature
- 1 lb bittersweet dark chocolate
- Wax paper
DIRECTIONS
- Line a 9-inch loaf pan with foil
- Cover the foil with butter or spray the inside with cooking spray. Or both.
- In a 1 quart sauce pan, heat the cream with 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan with the Jameson and 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel until the mixture begins to boil.
- Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm while you cook the syrup.
- In a 1.5 to 2 quart sauce pan, fitted with a candy thermometer, heat the rice syrup with the sugar, and cook, stirring gently, to make sure the sugar melts smoothly.
- Once the mixture is melted together and the sugar is evenly moistened, only stir is as necessary to keep it from getting any hot spots.
- The mixture will get dark brown as it approaches 300 degrees. This is ok, as long as the mixture isn't smoking.
- Cook until the syrup reaches 309 F.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the warm cream mixture, until smooth.
- Turn the heat back on and cook the mixture to 255 - 257 F.
- 255 - Softer
- 257 - Slightly chewier but still really soft
- Also, the mixture can become dark brown as the temperature approaches 240. This is ok.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the cubes of butter, until it’s melted and the mixture smooth.
- Remove thermometer
- Once the mixture is melted together and the sugar is evenly moistened, only stir is as necessary to keep it from getting any hot spots.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and wait ten minutes, then sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of the fleur de sel over the top. Set on a cool rack and let cool completely.
- Once cool, lift out the foil with the caramel
- Remove foil when ready to cut the caramels.
- Wrap caramels in waxed paper or cellophane or dip caramels in chocolate
- The caramel slab can remain uncut for a number of days. If not processing the caramels immediately, its best to leave the caramel as a slab, as the cut caramels will loose their shape quickly.
- To dip the caramels in chocolate, temper the chocolate:
- Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper
- Put 1/2 to 2/3 of chocolate in a double boiler outfitted with a chocolate thermometer
- Warm chocolate until it melts
- Do not exceed 120 F
- Constantly stir
- When the chocolate has melted, remove from heat
- Add unmelted chocolate, and stir, stir stir!
- Bring mixture to 80-85 F
- Return mixture to the heat and warm until 89 F, then remove from the heat.
- Stir constantly until removed from heat.
- Put caramels into the chocolate mixture, and fish them out with a fork or chocolate tool, placing them on the prepared cookie sheet
- Try to scoop out as little extra chocolate as possible, as it will harden on the bottom of your chocolate.
- Sprinkle a bit of fleur de sel on top of the candies after they have been fished out
- Allow 10-15 minutes for chocolate to harden without disturbing
Please note that the temperature and humidity in the room can affect this recipe. If the temperature goes below 60 F, a chocolate bloom can form. See the 2 chocolates that are off color in the picture on the left. This happened because I kept this sheet of candies near a drafty window after the temperature had dropped during the evening. Also, notice the awesome packaging that was procured at Chocolate Treasures!!
LINKAGE
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