GRANDMA KLEIN’S CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c. white sugar
• 1-1/2 c. corn syrup
• 1-1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 c. unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the pan
• 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate (I use Baker’s brand)
• 1-1/2 c. chopped nuts, optional (I prefer without!)
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

• Generously butter a 9″ x 13″ pan and set aside.
• Place all ingredients except nuts and vanilla in a heavy medium sauce pan. Over medium to medium-high heat, stir the mixture quite constantly with a spatula or wooden spoon until it just reaches 240° F, and then quickly pull pan from heat. This will take quite some time, be prepared to stand by the stove for awhile, stirring, stirring, stirring! Do not let the caramel mixture over cook, or you will have hard caramel. Likewise, undercooking will result in softer caramels. (See note below about using a candy thermometer.) With pan off the heat, stir in the vanilla. Stir in nuts, if using. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
• If you prefer regular caramels, omit the chocolate.
• If you want to gift these caramels, simply cut them into your desired size and wrap in wax paper.
• This is how I achieve those super clean cuts: With refrigerated caramel, I first cut around the outer edge of the pan to loosen the caramel from the sides, and then invert caramel onto a wood cutting board that has a layer of wax paper on it, flipping the caramel slab right-side up again. Let warm a bit. Depending on the consistency of the caramel, this can take 20 to 60 minutes. If it’s hard to cut, wait another 15 minutes and repeat as necessary. Then I use a long non-serrated knife (a “sandwich knife”) to make the cuts. For even more precision, use a ruler to mark out exact sized cuts.
• Please note:  Using candy thermometers can be a tricky thing. Thermometers are known to vary, which can give you different results. It’s a great idea to know the accuracy of your candy thermometer.

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