Hot Soup and some Bourbon

Don't you ever have one of those days where you feel lazy but you still push yourself to at least accomplish something simple in a couple hours? Well, earlier this week, I experienced one of those nights.

I wanted to make a quick and easy dinner ( because I was feeling lazy) and soup was the only thing that I knew I could make quickly.

After dinner I decided that tonight was the night to make bourbon sea salt caramels. I found the recipe in this months Bon Appetit magazine. Funny story behind these caramels because years ago, Superstore would sell dark chocolate sea salt caramels around Christmas time and everyone in my family was addicted to them.  It has been two years since I've seen them on the Superstore shelves. Which is really disappointing because with the thick dark chocolate covering the creamy and chewy caramel and the hint of sea salt was absolute bliss especially with a glass of red wine. Once I saw the caramels recipe in BA, I knew it was a sign. Here was my chance to bring back a familiar Christmas treat to me and my family.

Ingredients

Boiling the sugar and syrup.

First things first, I wanted to test the recipe out before adding chocolate to the mix. Well, what is that saying? If at first you don't succeed, try and try again? Well, I did not succeed. I am not sure if it was because I didn't cook the caramel mixture long enough before adding the butter and condensed milk, or maybe I went above the 240 degrees line that I was repeatedly warned not to cross. Either way, they tasted good, they are very chewy and you definitely get the kick of the salt, but, when cooled, they didn't solidify as much as I thought they would.

I thought the caramels would solidify more after putting the slab in the fridge over night.  Unfortunately, when I got to work, they melted into each other. 

Either way, I have not lost hope! I will try again! Maybe you want to try this recipe out and let me know how you succeeded?

Bourbon Sea Salt Caramels

From Bon Appetit Dec 2013 edition

Ingredients:

• nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 14oz can sweetened butter cut into small pieces
• 2 tbsp bourbon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• flaky seat salt (such as Maldon)
• special equipment: a candy thermometer

Directions:

• Lightly coat an 8x8" baking pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang on 2 sides; spray parchment
• Bring sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. 
• Cook swirling pan occasionally, until mixture turns a deep amber colour 8-10 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and whisk in sweetened condensed milk and butter (mixture will bubble vigorously) until smooth.
• Fit pan with thermometer and return to medium-low heat. cook. whisking constantly, until thermometer registers 240 degrees. Remove from heat and whisk in bourbon and kosher salt. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool. Sprinkle caramel with sea slat, cut into 3/4 pieces, and wrap individually in parchment paper.