Homemade Caramels with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Servings: 64
Yield: 64 servings

Description

These homemade salted chocolate caramels are creamy, buttery, and delicious! They're a decadent gift for any occasion — just include a "made by" tag!

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups 60% cacao dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
1 tablespoon sea salt

Directions

1 Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
2 Combine white sugar, 1/2 cup cream, corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 242 degrees F (117 degrees C), or until a small amount of the caramel mixture forms a firm yet pliable ball when dropped in cold water. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
3 Pour caramel mixture into the prepared baking pan. Allow to cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
4 Remove the baking pan from the refrigerator and allow caramel mixture to warm up slightly, about 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
5 Combine dark and semisweet chocolate chips with shortening in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes.
6 Cut caramel into 1-inch squares. Dip caramel squares in melted chocolate, letting any excess drip off. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Chill until hardened, about 1 hour.