Salted Apple Caramels - Chef Recipe by Michelle Crawford

Ingredients

Apple Syrup:

1 litre fresh cloudy apple juice

Caramels:

500 ml cream
250 g glucose syrup
400 g white sugar
90 g salted butter
125 ml apple syrup
1 tbsp salt flakes

Method

Boil the apple juice in a medium saucepan over high heat until it is reduced to a dark, thick syrup, about half a cup (125ml) in volume. This takes about an hour on my stove, but it doesn't need much attention, so you can get on with other stuff while you’re cooking it.

Lightly grease a square 20cm x 20cm cake tin and line with 2 sheets of baking paper, crossed over with overhangs on opposite sides. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine cream, glucose syrup, sugar, butter and apple syrup. Stir the mixture over medium heat with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Reduce to medium-high heat and cook without stirring until the thermometer reaches 121ºC, which will take about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your stove and pot. When it does, remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top of the caramel with salt flakes.

Allow the mixture to cool completely before removing from cake tin, then run a long sharp knife under hot water until it’s warm to the touch and slice the caramel into squares or rectangles. Wrap caramels in wax paper. Once cut, they may stick together if not wrapped. Store in an airtight container and they’ll keep for about two weeks if kept well hidden from the children.

Equipment

A confectionery thermometer – this recipe isn’t difficult as long as you have one!

Credits: Photos and Recipes from A Table in the Orchard by Michelle Crawford published by Random House Publishers

Photo Credits: Photos and Recipes from A Table in the Orchard by Michelle Crawford published by Random House Publishers