Fleur de Sel Caramels Recipe
Cooking the sugar and cream to a precise firm-ball stage gives the caramel a chewy, sliceable set instead of a runny or brittle one, and folding fleur de sel in at the very end (rather than cooking it into the base) keeps its crunch and bursts of salinity intact against the sweet caramel.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 280 min
- Servings
- 36
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp fleur de sel, divided
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 103
- Protein
- 0g
- Carbs
- 18g
- Fat
- 4g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides, and lightly butter the parchment.
- 2In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water over medium heat. Swirl the pan gently to dissolve the sugar, then stop stirring and let it cook, undisturbed, until it turns a deep amber color, about 8-10 minutes.
- 3Meanwhile, warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan or the microwave until just hot to the touch.
- 4Remove the sugar mixture from heat and slowly pour in the warm cream while whisking constantly; it will bubble up violently, so use a deep pot and pour slowly.
- 5Return the pan to medium-low heat, add the butter, and clip on a candy thermometer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 245-250°F (118-121°C), the firm-ball stage, about 8-10 minutes.
- 6Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of the fleur de sel.
- 7Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and let it settle for 2-3 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel evenly over the top.
- 8Let the caramel cool completely and set at room temperature, at least 4 hours or overnight; don't refrigerate, which can make it grainy.
- 9Lift the set caramel out of the pan using the parchment overhang, then cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife lightly greased or dusted with powdered sugar.
- 10Wrap each caramel individually in squares of parchment or wax paper for storage.
Tips & variations
- A digital or clip-on candy thermometer that reads accurately is worth using here; without one, the firm-ball stage is hard to judge by eye alone.
- Regular table salt is much finer and saltier by volume than fleur de sel; don't substitute it 1:1, use about half as much if fleur de sel isn't available.
- For chocolate-dipped caramels, chill the cut squares for 15 minutes, then dip in tempered dark chocolate and sprinkle with a few extra flakes of fleur de sel before the chocolate sets.
- On humid days the caramel may take longer to firm up; give it extra cooling time before cutting rather than cutting early.
Storage & reheating
Store wrapped caramels in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or refrigerate for up to a month (let them come to room temperature before eating for the best chew). They freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw wrapped at room temperature.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Make sure the candy thermometer's tip is submerged in the liquid but not touching the bottom of the pan, or it will read hotter than the caramel actually is.
- Greasing the knife blade with a little neutral oil before cutting keeps the caramel from sticking and dragging.
FAQ
What exactly is fleur de sel and how is it different from regular sea salt?
Fleur de sel is hand-harvested from the thin crust that forms on the surface of salt evaporation ponds, mostly in coastal France, and has a flaky, moist texture and milder flavor than most sea salts, which are raked from the pond floor after full evaporation.
Can I use kosher salt instead of fleur de sel?
Kosher salt works in a pinch but lacks the delicate flakes and slightly briny, mineral flavor of fleur de sel, so the finished caramels will taste saltier but less nuanced; use about three-quarters the amount if substituting.
Why did my caramel turn out grainy instead of smooth?
Grainy caramel almost always means sugar crystals formed during cooking, usually from stirring the syrup before it changed color or from a stray sugar crystal on the side of the pan; brushing the pan sides with a wet pastry brush at the start helps prevent this.
My caramels are too soft to hold their shape. What went wrong?
The mixture likely didn't reach a high enough temperature before it was removed from heat; use a reliable candy thermometer and don't pull the pan off until it hits 245°F, adjusting up to 250°F for a firmer chew.
