← Nouns Cooking · Dessert Parlour

Ingredients

• 70 g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin
• 200 ml double cream
• ½ tsp Vanilla extract
• 150 g golden granulated sugar
• 150 g Golden syrup
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

Method

1. Butter a 20 cm square tin and line it with baking paper.
2. Warm the butter, cream and vanilla together in a small pan until the butter melts. Keep warm.
3. Heat the sugar and golden syrup in a large, heavy pan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then boil without stirring for 6–8 min, until it turns a golden caramel colour.
4. Take the pan off the heat and slowly pour in the warm cream mixture; it will bubble up furiously. Stir until smooth.
5. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring often, until it reaches 127°C (260°F) on a sugar thermometer, about 10 min.
6. Stir in half the salt and pour into the tin. Cool for 20 min, sprinkle with the rest of the salt, then leave to set for at least 3 hours.
7. Lift out, cut into small squares with an oiled knife and wrap each one in a twist of baking paper.

Tips

• A few degrees change the texture a lot: 124°C gives soft and chewy, 130°C gives firmer caramels.
• Keep in a cool place, wrapped, for up to 2 weeks.
• Hot caramel causes nasty burns and spits when the cream goes in: use a deep pan, a long spoon and keep children away.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food King Arthur Baking