Sea Salt Hard Cider Caramels

• Baking & Spices

  • 2 (3-inch cinnamon sticks
  • 5 Allspice berries
  • 3/4 cup Brown sugar, packed light
  • 2 Cloves, whole
  • 1 Fleur de sel
  • 1 tsp Sea salt, fine-grain
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup White sugar

• Dairy

  • 6 tbsp Butter, unsalted slices
  • 1/2 cup Heavy cream

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 4 cups Angry orchard crisp apple hard cider

Found on kitchenkonfidence.com

Ingredients

• 4 cups Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider
• 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks
• 5 allspice berries
• 2 whole cloves
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into slices
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Fleur de sel (or Maldon salt), for sprinkling

Directions

• Line an 8 or 9-inch straight-sided square metal baking pan with 2 long sheets of parchment paper, crisscrossed so there’s paper overhanging on all 4 sides.
• Add hard cider, cinnamon sticks, allspice and clove to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan (I used a 3-quart cast iron pot here) over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook at a boil until the cider is reduced to 1/2 cup (35 - 40 minutes). Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup, discard the spices, then return the reduced cider back to the same pot.
• Return the pot to medium-high heat, then add butter, sugars and heavy cream, stirring until the butter and sugars have melted and dissolved. Clamp on a candy thermometer, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the caramel hits 245°F (about 10 minutes). Working quickly but carefully, take the caramel off the heat, remove the thermometer and stir in 1 teaspoon of sea salt and the vanilla.
• Immediately pour the caramel into the prepared baking pan, and let cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Using the parchment overhang, lift the slab of caramel out of the baking pan and place on a cutting board. Lightly spritz a sharp knife with non-flavored oil spray, and cut caramel into 1-inch squares (you don’t have to be precise here) or 1-inch by 1/2-inch rectangles. These caramels are soft and slightly sticky, so re-oil your knife as needed. Sprinkle each caramel with a little fleur de sel. Wrap caramels in wax or parchment paper, and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.