Sea Salt Chocolate Espresso Caramels - decadent cocoa powder, full-bodied, silky heavy cream, pure vanilla, espresso, and flavor amplifying sea salt come together to make a gloriously soft, chewy caramel that is rich, intense, and perfectly balanced. If you're looking for a new caramel recipe - this is IT!
Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small pan, heat the butter, heavy cream, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Once it is very hot, but not boiling, remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Set aside.
In another larger saucepan, heat the granulated sugar and corn syrup, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted, then stir in the hot cream mixture.
Using a candy thermometer, boil the caramel, stirring occasionally until it reaches 245° F. Remove from the heat immediately and pour into the prepared pan.
Wait for 5 to 7 minutes, then sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt. If the sea salt begins to sink, wait an additional minute or two before sprinkling with salt.
Allow to cool and set for 5 hours before cutting and serving.
Notes
If you don't like coffee, you can omit the espresso powder, but it boosts the chocolate flavor.Use a sharp, buttered knife to cleanly cut the caramels, once cooled. You can use different flavorings other than vanilla, like rum or maple).Store caramels in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.