Chocolate Caramels

Old-fashioned chocolate caramels made from scratch on the stovetop. Unsweetened chocolate melted into a bubbling sugar-cream mixture gives these a deep, bittersweet richness that store-bought caramels can’t touch.

The firm ball stage (around 245°F/118°C on a candy thermometer) is where these need to land. Undershoot and they’ll be sticky and soft. Overshoot and they turn into toffee. The covered boil at the start washes sugar crystals off the sides of the pan, which prevents the finished caramels from turning grainy.

Pouring the hot mixture over a layer of chopped nuts gives you a built-in nutty base in every square. Work quickly when pouring because this sets up fast once it comes off the heat.

Pro Tips

• Use a candy thermometer. “Firm ball stage” by the cold water test works, but a thermometer removes the guesswork.
• Stir constantly once you uncover the pot. Chocolate scorches easily and burnt spots will ruin the batch.
• Butter the pan generously. These caramels are extremely sticky and will bond to anything ungreased.
• Cut the squares while the caramel is still slightly warm. Fully cooled caramel shatters or resists the knife.

Variations

• Use dark or semi-sweet chocolate instead of unsweetened for a sweeter, less intense caramel.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top right after pouring for salted chocolate caramels.
• Wrap individual squares in wax paper for gift-giving or holiday candy platters.