SALTED BUTTER CARAMELS

Makes 154 pieces

“You don’t want to cook the caramel too fast; the faster it cooks, the less chance the flavour has to develop through caramelisation. It can be quite difficult having a thermometer that reads accurately, so I use two thermometers when I make it.” Catherine

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

250 g (9 oz) liquid glucose

435 g (15¼ oz) pouring (single) cream (35% fat content)

125 g (4½ oz) butter with sea salt flakes, such as Lescure, cubed

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1½ teaspoons sea salt flakes, such as Murray River pink sea salt

Lightly grease a 22 cm (8½ inch) square cake tin with cooking spray and line with aluminium foil or baking paper. Spray again.

Combine the sugar, glucose and cream in a heavy-based saucepan over medium–low heat and cook, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil slowly. Cook gently until the mixture reaches 113°C (235°F) on a candy thermometer, then whisk in the butter, a cube at a time. Continue to boil, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 119°C (246°F). Immediately remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla paste. Pour into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the salt. Set aside in a cool dry place for at least 3 hours or until completely cooled.

Remove the block of caramel from the tin and place on a chopping board. Using a serrated knife, cut into 1.5 cm (⁵/₈ inch) wide strips, then cut each strip into 2 cm (¾ inch) pieces. Wrap in cellophane and store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 5 days.