Whisk & Whimsy

I’ve been wanting to make salted caramel ever since seeing a recipe for salted caramel cupcakes.  I do want to make the cupcakes as well but I thought how great it would be to use a piece of salted caramel as the decoration on a salted caramel cupcake.  Original…I know .

I had originally found a salted caramel by the Barefoot Contessa but I decided to use a recipe by Alton Brown instead.  Not Jaclyn’s favorite food network chef but definitely one of mine.  It might be that he, like me, is a University of Georgia grad.  Or could just be that we both have southern roots.  Either way I like him both on Good Eats and on Iron Chef.  So here goes Alton’s recipe.

It’s not super easy – but it’s not hard either.  The key is the candy thermometer…without it you just don’t know what’s going on .  Trust me…I know.  I tried one batch thinking I would just know the steps based on the color of the sugar.  I didn’t….so go get a candy thermometer Trust me on this.

Ingredients

• 14 1/2 ounces sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Step One: – Line the pan (you may have time to do this while the sugar is cooking but I did this first so I wouldn’t feel rushed later ) My pan was 8 inches by 8 inches.

Step Two:  Mix sugar, water, corn syrup, and cream of tarter in a dutch oven (the white bottom makes it easier to see the color of the sugar and the cast iron distributes heat better….bazinga).  Place on high heat until sugar is dissolved.  The cover the dutch oven and cook for 5 minutes.

Step Three: While the sugar is cooking mix the cream and soy sauce in a measuring cup – have it on stand by along with the butter!

Step Four: Remove lid from sugar mixture and attach candy thermometer.  When sugar reaches 230 degrees reduce heat to medium and cook without stirring until syrup is goldenie brown and delicious. Once sugar is at 300 degrees you can gently swirl the pan to remove any hot spots.

Step Five: When the temperature approaches 350 degrees F, the syrup will turn deep amber. Remove the pan from the heat, and gently swirl again to break up all of the hot pockets. Cool for 2 minutes.

Step Six: Add cream, soy and the butter into the pan. Stir to combine. Return the caramel to medium heat, stir until the butter is completely melted, and continue cooking until it reaches 255 degrees F. Remove from the heat and pour into the parchment-lined pan, tap gently to release air bubbles.

Step Seven: Cool on a rack for half an hour.  Then sprinkle on the sea salt (I used the coarse kind of course )Continue cooling on the rack for an additional 3 1/2 hours. I even put mine in the fridge as well.  It makes it much easier to cut.  Wrap in parchment paper

- BEWARE THE STICKY AWESOMENESS -