A Truly Sticky Sitch...

Fleur de Sel caramels sound sooo very romantic, don't they?!

Although I LOVE Ina Garten and her television demo on how to make the candy was the catalyst for my attempt...I suggest reading the recipe on Epicurious.com before embarking on a quest for this sweet & salty treat!

RULE #1: RUM & EXCESSIVE HEAT DO NOT MIX UNLESS YOU'RE IN JAMAICA!

The first picture is the result of my first attempt. I'm pretty good in the kitchen, and fairly adept at making recipes my own. However, I've found that this particular candy recipe MUST be followed TO THE LETTER!  Do not use too much vanilla rum, a candy thermometer is a must so that the candy is never allowed to boil past the 248 degree mark, and pour the liquid immediately into a METAL pan as stated...do not use glass or you will end up with hard, stick-in-your-teeth toffee! This is the result of 255 degrees, too much rum and the wrong type of pan.

RULE #2: MAKE IT AN EVENT!

My second attempt was much more successful! I took out my bright red Le Creuset cookware, broke out the candy thermometer received as a wedding gift in '07, cut back on the rum ((sigh!)) but added 1/2 teaspoon of my favorite clementine extract.

I followed the recipe on Epicurious and found that things went much more smoothly.

As my cauldron bubbled and filled my home with the scent of caramel and oranges, I lined my metal pan with parchment paper, gave it a generous layer of melted, unsalted butter, armed myself with a pair of heavy potholders and prepared for the magical 248 temp to appear!

BINGO! Pull out the thermometer, pour out the liquid and quickly smooth out the bubbles.  After chilling for 2 hours, the result is the most beautiful, buttery little homemade candies that delight your senses and melt in your mouth.

After chilling, cutting and salting the little pieces, it's a shame not to have colorful wrappings to perfectly feature these creamy, salty candies! The result of my second attempt is shown on simple white parchment at right.

Wouldn't this be a wonderfu kitchen project for a family, teens or really anyone who wants to create their own candy or homemade gift? It's truly a science project you can eat!

A little dash of clean, non-iodized sea salt on each of the pieces adds an unexpected spark to the sweetness of the caramel. However, the only thing missing as I pop one in my mouth is a glass of single malt Scotch!

Oh well, Caffe Verona pairs fine for now!