SMS: Chocolate Creme Caramels

The Sweet Melissa Sundays group’s winter break is over and we’re back with Chocolate Crème Caramels, selected by the spirited and entertaining Jeannette of The Whimsical Cupcake. A few weeks ago Jeannette made a call for unattractive baked goods on her site and I told her I’d see what I could come up with. I generally don’t have too many disastrous baked goods (and if I don’t I’m too vain to photograph and post the evidence, though there were these cookies that looked nothing like the rest of the other TWD bakers’), but where I often have trouble is candy. Fortunately, I did not this time around, but last January (coincidentally my first post of 2009) when I made Fleur de Sel caramels, I completely burned the first batch beyond hope and posted a picture, so in honor of it being Jeannette’s week to host SMS, I am recycling that photo.


Though it felt like it took forever for the caramel to come to its prescribed temperature of 248 degrees (firm-ball stage), this was an easy and stress-free candy-making experience. Oh, and I did have to change pots in the middle of the process. I was making a half-batch and the caramel seemed to triple in size somewhere around 200 degrees, so I poured it into a larger pan in order to prevent overflow and a sticky stove. Aside from the pan size, the only thing I’d do differently next time is make them before the holidays rather than after, so I could share them with my family – they’re dangerously good! Although, then I would have had to individually wrap the caramels, so I guess it’s a draw.





This recipe rated a 9 for Deliciousness and a 2.5 for Effort, giving it an EDR of 3.6. Many thanks to Jeannette for getting the group off to a great start for 2010. You can find the recipe on Jeannette’s site and visit the SMS blogroll to see what the rest of the bakers thought of this treat.