PEANUT, BLACK SALT CARAMELS

these are dreamy little nuggets of gold.

if you thought you couldn't make candy or just didn't want to attempt it due to the potential sticky mess that could occur ( and will at some point), don't be afraid...jump in...i did.

now i find myself a little addicted to the challenge.

wake up that candy lovin' kid in you and start out with some caramels. i started out with a recipe i found here that i think i first saw on tastespotting.com.

THANK YOU "WITHOUTSALT.COM"

my first attempt with this exact recipe was a success. they came out tasting unreal and everybody was amazed. i must say, being my first attempt, i liked them, but i would have liked the caramel just a smidge harder. as i explain in the bacon, black salt carmel post, i was so excited to make these that i went down to the nearest super market and bought a cheap thermometer that subsequently melted during the crucial stage of soft ball, hard ball and firm ball. needless to say...get yourself a proper thermometer.

i found that caramel, unlike brittles or chocolates, can be much more forgiving and you have just a bit more time to play with it. as a matter of fact, i just now finished making bacon strips dipped in caramel...then crushed salted peanuts...then dipped in chocolate (the caramel stage was sprinkled with some cayenne). we'll see if i can get a shot of those before they disappear, huh?!

so, just start out as i did with the recipe from withoutsalt.com. leave out the bacon, if that scares you...and you'll find this base caramel recipe an easy and tasty one.

i almost forgot...for this recipe i started off with the base carmel recipe...poured it into a buttered 2 qt. pyrex. then immediatly started putting huge Virginia salted roasted peanuts on top. i pushed a few of them down with a tooth pick (and my finger-being careful, it's hot). i opted not to put the peanuts in before pouring because i wanted control of peanut spacing...i guess it's a control issue? then lightly sprinkled with the black salt...careful, because black salt seemes to be a bit powerful and the peanuts are salted. for another batch i made last week, i sprinkled chopped arbol chilis for a yummy spicy kick. so try anything you want, as i said caramel is forgiving AND a great blank canvass for all sorts of flavors.

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