Chocolate Caramels from Miette Bakery

These are the chocolate variation on Miette's famous fleur de sel caramels. It's as if the buttery, deep, complex flavor of the classic caramels interlaced itself with big chocolate flavor and took itself to a whole different level of sexy.

I want to be clear: when it comes to caramels, nothing can replace my love of the classic caramel. I like simple and sweet; it's perfection enough for me. I have gushed about its awesomeness and sang its sugary praises. Read it, and you will see I am a caramel freak, but a wholly justified caramel freak.

However, if you decide the classic needs a black stiletto of sorts, then chocolate is obviously the way to go. If you happen to think chocolate is the greatest thing ever next to [whatever you think is the greatest thing on Earth], then you need to make these caramels. Also, we need to become friends.

Miette's caramels are super easy, no-fuss candies. Just boil all the ingredients together until the proper temperature, then pour onto a buttered and parchment lined pan. These caramels slice beautifully. They also disappear instantaneously.

Some things to keep in mind:

One: You must keep a close watch on the caramels and whisk constantly (but not frantically) to make sure the bottom does not burn. Some recipes specifically direct you not to whisk, but the Miette version does.

It's only about forty minutes or so of standing and watching. Only forty minutes. *Ahem*

Two: The recipe says the caramels are done at 230 degrees, but I've found that it's necessary to boil the batch until it reaches at least 245. You can check the caramel periodically by dropping a small drop of it in cold water, then rolling it between your fingers to see how well it solidifies.

Three: Do NOT scrape out every bit of caramel when you're pouring it into the buttered pan. I wholeheartedly disagree with the recipe on this. That's because unless you're pouring the mixture out at a lighting-fast speed, the remaining caramel that's on the side of the pan will have a different end temperature than the rest of the batch.

Read: uneven temperature distribution. Read: cracked, crumbly caramel top. Read: not good.

Some additional tips:

- Cooking spray is your best friend. It helps the caramels not stick together.
- When cutting the caramels, I just let the entire batch flip out onto a greased cutting board, peel off the parchment, and cut into squares. But you can do whatever works for you.
- Don't skimp on whole milk, and use high-quality chocolate, if possible.

Chocolate Caramels

*makes 64 one-inch square caramels, or more, depending on how you cut it*

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces finely chopped 62% cacao chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 1 /4 cups light brown sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbsps unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 3 Tbsps water
• 1/4 cup fleur de sel, for sprinkling (I usually just omit the salt)

Directions:

1. Butter (or spray with cooking spray) the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper long enough to extend over two opposite sides by about 3 inches, to use later as handled, if needed.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients (except the fleur de sel). Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Place over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 230 degrees F, about 30-40 minutes.
3. When the caramel reaches the correct temperature, remove it from the heat and pour into the buttered pan, scraping out any caramel that's clinging to the sides of the pan. Be careful because the caramel is very hot. Let the caramel cool for 15 minutes and sprinkle with fleur de sel, if using. Let the caramel cool to room temperature. 
4. To remove the caramel from the pan, loosen the sides by running the tip of a knife around the edges. Lift the caramel out using the parchment paper "handles." If it resists, warm the bottom of the pan briefly with a kitchen torch or over a stove burner. Turn the caramel out onto waxed paper on a cutting board. Measure 1-inch intervals along the sides, and then cut the caramel into 1-inch squares. Peel the caramel squares from the parchment paper. 
5. Wrap each caramel in a square of waxed paper or candy cellophane and twist both ends. Store in an airtight container for up to 10 days. 

From Miette: Recipes from San Francisco's Most Charming Pastry Shop