Nut Chocolate Caramels

Ingredients

• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 cup Light Corn Syrup
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt
• 6 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 0.5 cup English Walnuts (Roughly chopped, or 1/4 cup blanched and chopped almonds)

Instructions

1. 1If using walnuts, roughly chop them. If using almonds, blanch them by placing them in boiling water for 1 minute, then transferring them to an ice bath. The skins should slip off easily. Chop the blanched almonds.
2. 2In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, butter, and salt.
3. 3Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 245°F (firm-ball stage) on a candy thermometer. This will take approximately 20-30 minutes.
4. 4Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and chopped nuts.
5. 5Pour the caramel mixture into a greased 8x8 inch baking pan. Let cool completely at room temperature, about 1-2 hours.
6. 6Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
7. 7Cut the cooled caramel into squares. Dip each square into the melted chocolate, coating completely. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set.
8. 8Let the chocolate-covered caramels set completely, about 30 minutes, before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.