Anyway, I wanted to make the Lavender Caramels with the recipe found in the latest Anthology issue. I love LOVE anything with lavender in it. They might be my favorite flowers too. I made these caramels for the first time and I was a little scared that you wouldn't really be able to taste the lavender in the caramel. Cuz I mean, lavender is expensive and I didn't want to waste it and not taste anything, but I was pleasantly mistaken! They are SO so so good. I'm giving these away as my Christmas treats this year so hopefully people like them as much as I do.
Lavender Caramels
Yields 128 (small) pieces
1 cup heavy cream
4 tbsp dried lavender flowers
5 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 1/4 cups sugar
1. In a small saucepan, combine cream and lavender over medium-low heat. Once the cream begins to simmer, cover pan and turn off heat. Steep for 15 minutes, then strain out flowers with a fine mesh sieve. Add butter, vanilla, and salt and stir until butter is melted. Re-cover pan to keep warm; set aside.
2. In a second heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together sugar and corn syrup over medium heat; keep the sides of the pan as clean as possible. Once the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and cover for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and attache a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Continue cooking without stirring until the syrup reaches 310 degrees.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the creammixture until smooth. Return to medium heat and cook without stirring until the temperature drop to 248 degrees. If the mixture looks uneven, swirl the pan. Make sure the thermometer bulb is fully submerged in the mixture.
4. Once the caramel is at 248 degrees, stir it with a clean spoon until the mixture reaches 250 degrees. (You should have moderately firm caramel; 245 degrees will produce a softer caramel, and 255 degree will result in a very firm caramel.) Pour the caramel into a buttered, parchment-lined 8" square pan. When pouring, do not scrape the sides or bottom of the pan, which can result in a grainy texture.
5. Allow to cool completely, then turn out and cut into 1"x 1/2" rectangles. Wrap individually in wax paper and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
(More pictures to come)
