Salted Chocolate Covered Caramels

Salted Chocolate Covered Caramels are homemade fine chocolates that taste divine! Made-from-scratch buttery caramel is coated in rich dark chocolate and sprinkled with flaky sea salt. These are the perfect handmade gift for the holidays!

Homemade Caramels are my favorite thing to make and give to others during the Christmas season. These Salted Chocolate Covered Caramels take those amazing buttery caramels to the next level! For more yummy candy treats, try my 4-Ingredient Chocolate Truffles, Peppermint Chocolate Oreo Truffles, Polar Bear Paws, and Easy Chocolate Fudge.

Salted Chocolate Covered Caramels

If you haven’t tried homemade caramel, you are in for an amazing treat! While making the caramel for these chocolates, a neighborhood kid that was at our home asked “What smells like the most AMAZING thing in the whole entire world?!” Truest description of this caramel and it tastes as good as it smells! Plus, the consistency is on point.

Ingredients needed for Homemade Caramel: 

GRANULATED SUGAR– As the sugar cooks it goes through the Maillard reaction that results in a sweet nutty flavor and brown color. 

SALTED BUTTER– The salt perfectly balances the sweetness and the butter gives it an amazing smooth creamy texture and richness as butter always does. 

HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM– Makes the caramels smooth and creamy. For optimal results do NOT substitute with lower fat cream or milk.

DARK CORN SYRUP– Corn syrup is necessary to create smooth creamy caramel. I use dark corn syrup for both color and an added depth of flavor.

Vanilla– Adds that delicious flavor we know and love.

What is Corn Syrup?

The light and dark corn syrup sold in your local grocery store is NOT high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that many are concerned about. However, there isn’t sufficient evidence that HFCS is any less healthy than other types of sweeteners.

Corn syrup is pure glucose while HFCS has had some of its glucose chemically converted to fructose. 

Corn syrup, like with any type of sugar, should be consumed in moderation.

How to prevent crystallization?

1. Don’t shock the mixture. Be sure to heat that second cup of cream before adding it to the pan. Drizzle it in slowly so that the caramel doesn’t stop boiling.
2. Use Corn Syrup. It’s chemical structure discourages crystallization so you get a smooth silky texture. (Read more about candy making and crystallization here.)

How long to cook Caramel?

You want your caramel to be soft but firm enough to hold it’s shape so you can coat it in chocolate. In the candy making world, this is referred to as the soft-ball stage. and ranged from 235 °F to 245 °F.

For dipping this caramel, I like to cook at the higher end of the soft-ball stage at around 243-245 °F. BUT… altitude alters boiling temperature so you’ll need to make the following adjustments if you’re over 1,000 ft.

For every 1,000 ft above sea level, reduce cooking temperature by 2 degrees.

Sea level: 243-245 °F
2,000 ft: 239-241 °F
4,000 ft: 235-237 °F
6,000 ft: 231-233 °F

While a candy thermometer is the easiest way to make candy, you can use the cold water test if you don’t have one.

• Spoon some of the cooking caramel into a small dish of cold water. Let it sit for about 10 seconds and then use your fingers to push it together into a ball. How it feels in the water is very close to the firmness of the caramels when they’re cooled. The caramel should easy form a ball in the water but when brought out it will start to flatten.

How to make Caramel:

1. Line a 11×7 or 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper. (Makes removing caramels so easy!) Alternatively, you can grease the pan (use a glass dish so you don’t scratch up your nice pans) with softened butter.
2. Stir together the sugar, 1 cup whipping cream, corn syrup, and butter in the 4 quart sauce pan. (Place remaining cream in a liquid measuring cup and the vanilla close at hand.) Bring to a boil over medium heat. 
3. Once it comes to a boil, heat the remaining cup of cream in the microwave for 45-60 seconds until hot. Gradually add the cream in a slow stream to the pot while stirring. You need to add it slow enough that the caramel never stops boiling (if it stops your caramel will become sugary/crystallized).
4. Stir frequently as the mixture begins to thicken and then stir constantly as it starts to darken. (I like to use a heat resistant rubber scraper)
5. Cook until it reaches 243-245 degrees F. (I like mine at about 244 F for if I’m going to be coating them in chocolate.) 
6. Remove pan from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into the prepared dish. Let cool completely.
7. Grab the edges of parchment paper and lift out the caramel. Use a sharp knife and cut caramel into bite size squares.

How to dip caramels in chocolate: 

1. Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper.
2. Melt the chocolate: Since dipping all the caramels takes some time, melt only half the chocolate at a time. There are 2 ways to melt chocolate: 
   • Use a double boiler. Fill a pot with a couple inches of water and cook over low heat. Place the top of the double boiler or a metal bowl on top with chocolate in it. Let it melt and stir it once most of the chocolate is shiny.
   • Cook in the microwave on 50% power in 30 second increments until almost completely melts. Stir until fully melted.
3. Drop one caramel at a time in the chocolate. 
4. Lift it out with a fork, tap the fork on the edge of the bowl so that the excess chocolate drops down into the bowl. 
5. Slide the coated caramel off the fork and onto the lined baking sheet. (You may want to use a toothpick or extra fork to push it off. You’ll need to wipe off the fork or get a new one if too much chocolate its caked on it.)
6. Sprinkle salt on the top immediately after dipping each caramel. Let cool and harden completely before packaging.

What is the best flaky sea salt?

I LOVE this Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. The fakes are so big, thin, and delicate. It’s like snow! I just want to sprinkle this over everything!

LOOKING FOR MORE RECIPES FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS GOODIE PLATTER? CHECK OUT THESE:

• For the most gorgeous holiday cookie that requires no decorating skills, make these Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms! 
• Gingerbread Sugar Cookie Bars have a chewy gingerbread cookie base and are frosted with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. 
• My husband looks forward to these White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps every year.
• If you like Almond Joys, you’ll love these Chocolate Almond Coconut Macaroons!
• Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies are a classic Christmas cookie that gets you in the winter wonderland spirit!
• Rice Krispies Treats Santa Hats are super cute and fun to make with the kids.
• Chocolate Caramel Christmas Wands are a breeze to make and are perfectly festive! Great for gift giving, parties, and more!

TOOLS USED TO MAKE THESE CHOCOLATE COVERED CARAMELS:

• Candy Thermometer– For accuracy in making caramel or other candy, a thermometer is great to have in your pot. You could also use an instant read thermometer. I have this one.
• Pot & Skillet Set– These are the skillets and pots I use. They have a heavy bottom making them sturdy and cook the food evenly. I use the 3 quart pan to make my caramel recipe.
• 7×11 inch 2 quart Pyrex Dish– I find that this size pan or  a 9×9 inch pan creates the perfect thickness for your caramels.
• Parchment Paper– This makes cutting and removing the caramels from the pan a lot easier.