Vanilla Cream Caramels

[The Edifying Conscience]

Vanilla Cream Caramels
Carole Bloom

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 T. softened butter

TEC Notes: These caramels are to die for! I've made them several times in the past few weeks and gave almost all of them away. I can't even begin to tell you how many people have asked for the recipe. The first two times I made them I used vanilla beans.

The last time I was out of vanilla beans, but used vanilla bean sugar (leave vanilla beans in gran sugar for a few weeks or in my case a few months) and added 1 teaspoon vanilla extract when the mixture reached 250*F. They were just as good as with vanilla beans version.

I haven't had any problems with the bottom of the pan overcooking and have scraped the pan, but I do have very heavy duty pans. Make sure you wipe the sides of the pans with water if you don't your caramel may turn out grainy. If you don't have a pastry brush use a new sponge and tongs or something, but be careful not to burn yourself.

Instead of using foil, I used buttered parchment paper. I let the caramels sit overnight, cut them using a boning knife and then wrap them in little squares of waxed paper.

Directions:
Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and coat with vegetable oil.

In a 3 quart, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, vanilla and honey. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to get rid of any lurking sugar particles.

Increase heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil it until a candy thermometer registers 250, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat. Fish out the vanilla bean with a fork, and stir in the butter. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. DO NOT scrape the bottom of the pot. This will ruin the texture of your caramel, as the stuff sticking to the bottom tends to overcook a bit.

Let caramel cool completely at room temperature before disturbing. I usually leave it overnight.

Coat a cutting board and chef's knife with oil. Lift out the caramel (on the foil), and invert it onto the board. Cut into squares. They will keep approximately 2 weeks before they start to go grainy.

GINGER FIG VERSION:
For the ginger caramels I omit the vanilla. Before making the caramels I simmer the cream with a very generous handful of chopped ginger for 5 to 10 minutes, strain, then proceed. I stir the chopped figs in with the butter.

TEC