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1
Line an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan or dish with parchment or waxed paper, making sure that the paper comes up at least 1 inch on two opposite sides.
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2
The paper should be smooth along the bottom and sidesany wrinkles or creases will imprint in your caramel.
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3
(A pan with sharp corners is best, but if you have only pans or dishes with rounded corners, the edges of the caramel can be trimmed.)
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4
Spray the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
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5
Mix the sugar, heavy cream, honey, and corn syrup in a large pot.
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6
Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pot (reserve the pod for another use).
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7
Cover the pot and heat the mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes.
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8
(The steam that is produced inside the pot will prevent sugar from sticking to the sides of the pot and thus crystallizing your caramel.
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9
If you remove the lid and see that there is still sugar along the sides of the pot, use a damp pastry brush to wash it off the sides.)
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10
Remove the cover, raise the heat to medium-high, and set a candy thermometer inside the pot.
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11
The caramel will begin to boil vigorously and, as it continues to cook, it will become more golden in color.
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(If the bubbles start to rise quickly to the top of the pot, remove the pot from the heat to bring them back down.
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13
You can repeat this two or three times, if necessary, so that the caramel doesnt boil over.
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14
As the caramel reaches a higher temperature, the bubbles will subside.)
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15
Cook the caramel until the temperature on the candy thermometer reads 250 F. (Be patient, but also be watchful as the caramel approaches this temperature.
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16
If its taken off the heat a couple degrees too early, the caramel will be soft or runny.
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17
If it heats too much, it will be hard.)
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18
Add the butter and remove the pot from the heat immediately.
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19
Mix the butter into the caramel with a rubber spatula until combined.
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20
Immediately pour the caramel into the prepared pan.
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21
Allow it to set for at least 1 hour or overnight at room temperature before using.
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22
While the caramel is setting, cut some waxed paper into 3-inch squares (about 60 to 75 pieces).
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23
Once the caramel has set, turn it out onto a cutting board and remove the paper from the bottom.
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24
Using a chefs knife or a pizza cutter, cut the caramel into approximately 1-inch squares and wrap them in the waxed paper squares, twisting the sides to close.
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25
Serve the caramels immediately, or keep them at room temperature for up to 10 days.
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26
To use this caramel as a filling for sandwich cookies, instead of cutting it into squares, use a small round cookie cutter (about 3/4 inch in diameter) to punch out round pieces of caramel (excess trimmings can be reserved and used in making Caramel Sauce, page 186).
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27
Place a piece of caramel between your thumb and forefinger and pinch it to spread and flatten it to the size of a cookie (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick).
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28
Sandwich it between two cookies, gently pressing the cookies together.
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(Because the caramel is poured thick in the pan, you will want to use a cutter that is much smaller than the size of the cookie, so that you can thin it out.
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30
Alternatively, if you are planning to use the caramel only for cookie fillings, make a half batch of the caramel and let it set in the same-size pan.
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31
Then use a cutter that is the same size or only slightly smaller than the cookies to cut the caramel; theres no need to pinch it thinner.)
