Lavender Honey Caramels

Lavender Honey Caramels

Adapted from http://wallflour.com/food/lavender-honey-vanilla-fleur-de-sel-caramels, a website that no longer exists

• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

• ¾ cup whole milk

• 1 tablespoon lavender buds + enough to sprinkle over caramel

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2/3 cup honey (or 8 oz honey)

• 1 ¾ cups sugar

• Fleur de sel (for sprinkling on top)

Line a 9” x 9” pan with lightly greased parchment.

Combine the heavy cream, whole milk, one tablespoon lavender buds, and vanilla extract in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let mixture steep for half an hour. Strain the cream mixture through a sieve and reserve two cups of the liquid. Discard the lavender buds.

Stir together the cream mixture, unsalted butter, honey, and sugar in a 4-quart pot. Stir the mixture frequently over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling and stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches 250F.

Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and do not scrape the remaining caramel in the pot into the pan. Wait for about 30 seconds, and then sprinkle the caramel with fleur de sel and lavender buds.

Yields approximately 1.5lbs.

Ingredient cost: $28.25

Notes

Honey will always taste different (depending on the season and what area the bees are from) so these caramels taste a bit different every time I make them as well. Unless you are making multiple batches of caramel with the same jar of honey it is difficult to achieve a consistent flavor.

However Noe Valley Apiaries honey is my favorite brand to use when I make these.

I like to scrape the remaining caramel out of the inside sides of the pot and spread it on a piece of parchment paper. I add a bit of salt and once it has cooled enough that I can eat it I am able to determine what the caramels will taste like and if they will firm up to a good consistiency.