Honey collectors will enjoy trying regional or varietal honeys in this recipe, with or without the walnuts. The year my brother’s family moved to Alabama, they brought a taste of their new home, Alabama wildflower honey, back to Berkeley for Thanksgiving. I made caramels with it and carried them back to Birmingham for Christmas a few weeks later. When working with the more delicate honeys, increase the honey to 1/3 cup and reduce the corn syrup to 2/3 cup.–Alice Medrich
LC AND THE REST OF YOU… NOTE
Honey aficionados, yes, you can try regional or varietal honeys in this recipe from Alice Medrich. And as for the rest of you, yes, clover works just dandy.
Honey Caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups (8 ounces) broken or coarsely chopped walnut pieces (optional)
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks and softened
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil. If using the walnuts, spread them in the prepared pan. Set aside.
- Combine the corn syrup, honey, sugar, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture simmers around the edges. Wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. (Meanwhile, rinse the spatula or spoon for use again later.) Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more.
- Attach the candy thermometer to the saucepan, without letting it touch the bottom of the pan, and cook the sugar mixture uncovered, without stirring, until it reaches 305°F (152°C).
- Meanwhile, heat the cream in a small saucepan until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.
- When the sugar mixture is at 305°F (152°C), turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently. Stir until smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to about 245°F (118°C). Then cook, stirring constantly, to 248°F (120°C) for soft chewy caramels or 250°F (121°C) for firmer chewy caramels.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight, until firm.
- Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper. Peel off the liner and turn the caramel right side up. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife into 1-inch squares, skinny bars (as shown in the photograph), or any desired shape. Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
My search for the perfect gift-giving caramel is finally over! If I can stand to give them away, that is. I made the softer version of these caramels and used a local honey for the flavoring. I am absolutely in love and can’t stop eating them. The honey flavor is just perfect. I was skeptical about putting walnuts in caramel, but the honey and walnuts are the perfect partnership in this recipe. The soft texture is nice and doesn’t stick in the teeth at all. Cut into the one-inch squares and wrapped in wax paper, they are easy to store and are the perfect portion size. I think the bar size would be too big. These would also be delicious melted and poured over a pre-baked shortbread crust for a special dessert!
Originally published April 27, 2007
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Personally, as a ‘honey aficionado’, I would use more honey and less corn syrup (they can be substituted). Additionally, most grocery-store ‘clover honey’ is a mixture of honey and corn syrup .
Thanks for the info, Delaney. Much appreciated. Hey, you honey lovers! Take a cue.