Fleur de Sel Caramels
Last spring when I visited Paris with the girls, I was busy seeking out things like vanilla beans and salt while they were making other choices during our shopping frenzies: jewelry, trinkets for kids, candy, Desigual fashion, spices, and so on.
One friend in particular, who shall remain nameless, but who has since moved to an island in the Atlantic, had a good laugh at my quest for Fleur de sel de Guérande, especially since I mentioned that I wanted it as a gift for my husband.
"You are bringing Richard salt as a gift ... from Paris?"
"Ahh, but it's not any salt, it's the best salt in the world. French salt from Brittany. It's fleur de sel."
"It's ... salt!?"
I couldn't explain.
This week I finally treated myself to a candy thermometer, et voila! salted caramels...oh, excuse me... Fleur de Sel Caramels. Easy, peasy, divine goodness, or beginner's luck.
Do you know how many times I can make this recipe for fleur de sel caramels with the amount of salt I bought in Paris? My husband LOVES caramels. French fleur de sel is a perfect gift that keeps on giving, batch after glorious batch! The man is in heaven. Ordinary salt is no substitute, trust me. And, I even have enough to add these caramels to my list of homemade gifts this year.
Do you know how many times I can make this recipe for fleur de sel caramels with the amount of salt I bought in Paris? My husband LOVES caramels. French fleur de sel is a perfect gift that keeps on giving, batch after glorious batch! The man is in heaven. Ordinary salt is no substitute, trust me. And, I even have enough to add these caramels to my list of homemade gifts this year.
I have a little baggie of caramels that I intend to send to this friend in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean this holiday season because I still like her (and miss her) even though she even had a laugh with Richard about my gift weeks after we returned. One bite and the woman will get it, I'm sure. Unfortunately, I bet she won't find any fleur de sel in the Azores. Who's laughing now, girlfriend?
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Here is the recipe I used with step-by-step pictures from our friend Ina Garten.
Divine.
.
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If you are here looking for corner view, I'll return to it after the holiday season.
they are a work of art. i swear my mouth is watering! :)
ReplyDeletethanks for the recipe!
x
p.s. i totally agree. :)
I love salt and sweet. Food & Wine had a recipe this fall for salted carmel pie. I want to make it, but it is an all day on to a second day process. So I'll have to settle with the new Starbucks Salted Carmel Mocha.
ReplyDelete@ Jane -- I skipped her last bit of instructions and simply cut them into squares. Yum.
ReplyDeleteMichelle -- I saw a recipe from a friend for caramel apple pie. I'll find the link to her blog for you!
I think I might have to steal your ideas for next Christmas. These look amazing!
ReplyDeleteAnother pretty and delicious homemade gift...you are on quite a roll!
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh about your quest for the salt. I was on a similar quest for butter from Brittany during our recent trip Paris.
I am sure your friend in the Azores will love the caramels and I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't beg you send some of that precious salt her way, too.
Happy, Yummy Holidays!
P.S. Now that you have a candy thermometer will you be making pralines, too? I attempt them every December because that's what my Ganny would bake and wrap up for holiday gifts. I loved her pralines. Sadly, no one in the family seems to have her recipe and although I try new recipes each year none of them every really work or maybe I am just not meant to be a candy maker!
Chocolate? Forget it. I'm totally a caramel person. Funny, I also marked this recipe from Ina. But I saw it on her show. It's really as easy as you say? I had bad luck with caramel in the past.
ReplyDeleteLeslie
Yummy! Way to go! I am sure everyone is going to be thrilled to recieve these as a gift. I know I would!!!!
ReplyDeleteGoodness gracious, the Christmas holidays really agree with you! This is ANOTHER amazing homemade treat, Dana.
ReplyDeleteYou are slaying us with the goodness that is coming out of your kitchen this season! You go girl :)
ReplyDeletehmmm, i think we would make good traveling companions, dana. your friend would probably look askance at my quest for butter the last two times i was in paris. and at the amount of it that i brought back with me! but it was bordier butter. you can eat that stuff with a spoon. siiighhh...ANYWAY, darn you, i printed off this recipe. and am now feeling the urge to make two types of caramel during this christmas season!
ReplyDeleteFabulous idea. You are going great guns on the Christmas gifts, aren't you?
ReplyDeleteThank you all very much...I wish I could send you all a bit of this holiday goodness, too :)
ReplyDeleteOh Dana, I'm in a kind of a trance now and heading to the kitchen. Just imagine me shuffling my feet and muttering, "yummy, yummy, salt, yummy, yummy..." These days, your blog ought to come with a warning!
ReplyDeletedana, i made a double batch of these a few days ago and they are WONDERFUL! i also made a double batch of the apple cider caramels which i had originally been planning to make. um, these are SO much better. a double batch is not enough. more coming. :) thanks for the recipe!!!
ReplyDelete