Dark Salty Caramels

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this recipe was a smashing success!Not a big shock coming from Alton. The caramel is a little bitter but the salt is what makes these caramels interesting. I only gave 4 stars because I would have liked them better if they were a little firmer. They sliced nice and stuff but I would prefer just a little more tooth to it. Eveyone else thinks I am a genious and loves them. Thanks A.B. Love ya!!

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Without the finishing salt on top, this caramel tastes bitter, over cooked and has heavy overtones of coffee. With the finishing salt, this is easily one of the best, most flavorful, heavenly things I've ever put in my mouth! I chose some Hawaiian red sea salt which I purchased on our vacation there specifically for this recipe. I also waited a long time to try this recipe because I knew I needed the correct. That makes a big difference. (All Clad is THE way to go if you ask me. Alton is easily my favorite chef on the network an this recipe is another one of his that is second to none. I'm in Alaska and it cooled sooner than I expected so I withh add the salt on top sooner with next batch.

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As a diabetic I should not like these but i can't help it. they are FANTASTIC and EASY. I make them alot and give most of them away as gifts. I will reiterate the long time it takes to reach temperature after the butter and cream have been introduced. You will see a climb in temperature and it will stall for a good 3 minutes or so. DO NOT TURN UP THE HEAT :( it goes to burned in no time. After the stall it will climb quickly. Your patience will be rewarded!!!

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Just made these and they are delish. These tips were important to me--use a pot that is not too big so the candy thermometer reads properly; it takes a long time to get the temperature to 255 the second time you heat up the caramel (after the dairy mixture, so be patient; and third, it is supposed to be bitter, almost like a coffee caramel. I think I might be addicted.

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These were totally amazing, like you would pay a lot of money for a little bag of them at a fancy candy shop. Smoky and complex, almost more like a toffee than caramel. Mine came out extremely chewy, but extremely tasty. I found altitude makes a huge difference in what temperature the burner should be at, as I started off on high heat up until my sugar started smoking! So if you're around 4,000 feet I'd say use a lower setting than the recipe calls for. Also it took a very very long time for my caramel to get back up to 255 degrees after adding the cream, but my patience was rewarded.

I also noticed inconsistencies in the recipe compared to the episode. I followed the written recipe, except I added the cream while still on the heat like in the video. I used scissors to cut the pieces apart. They weren't as pretty as Alton's and some of the salt fell off in the process, but I still can't stop eating them.

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I got a candy thermometer for Christmas and today was my first occasion to use it. Having never made candy before, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy and fun this recipe is.

I followed the recipe to the letter with solid results. The finished caramels are very different from your run-of-the-mill plastic-wrapped cubes. They are softer and have a more complex, toffee-like taste to them. I like the taste, and I think the salt adds volumes in both flavor and appearance, but I'd probably prefer a lighter caramel, so next time I'll cook the sugar mixture to a lower temperature.

I'll definitely try this recipe again and I'd recommend it to anyone who's on the fence: The technique here was worth learning.

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Second time making them tonight and they turned out great. You must use a candy thermometer. No reason not to use one. I left out the soy sauce the first time and added it this time. Both ways are great. Depends on how strong you want the salty factor to be.

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My wife is raving about my first batch. Followed the directions until the 350 degree thing because I like a lighter carmel. That being said, this is one tasty recipe! Thanks A.B.! My wife is already talking Christmas presents this year. P.S. For the people having trouble, the pot and themometer is the key to this recipe.

P.S. Made a batch today and cut the butter ammount in half and added 1/2 tea spoon of cinnamon and 1/2 tea spoon of cayanne pepper. Salty, sweet, and spicy heaven!

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Really good. For people having trouble with burning the sugar, it's probably due to where you are. I'm in Fort Collins, which is around 4000 feet. Cooking temperatures LOWER as you increase in elevation! I would recommend watching the video online and going based on color. I pulled mine at 330* and it was perfect. I did the other things the same, since there was no concern of burning at lower temperatures. I had trouble cutting them, so I recommend a really sharp knife to get lines and then a nice pair of scissors. Worked much better than anything else. Overall they took a really long time to make for me, but I would do it again

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I've made these caramels the old fashioned way: a heavy saucepan and a bowl of iced water. No fancy thermometers and probes. It'll never taste burnt as long as you reach the "firm ball" stage and avoid crystallization. I don't really care for the soy sauce, I think top quality vanilla extract is better, but that is a matter of opinion. I guess a little umami can't hurt.