Ingredients
tea-infused heavy cream
- 1.5 cups (360 ml) heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons (12 grams) loose leaf earl grey (or substitute 3 tea bags*)
earl grey soft caramels
- vegetable oil for greasing
- 1.5 cups (360 ml) tea-infused heavy cream
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) light corn syrup
- 5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
tea-infused heavy cream
- Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. If using tea bags, remove the tea from the bags. Stir in the tea and immediately remove from heat and cover.
- Let infuse for 15 minutes or until the tea flavor is strong.
- Strain using a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Return the heavy cream to its original volume by adding additional heavy cream until you have exactly 1.5 c (360 ml).
earl grey soft caramels
- Line a 9×9 inch (23×23 cm) baking pan with lightly greased parchment paper. Make sure to leave a slight overhang.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and measure out the vanilla extract and salt. Set aside.
- Combine the tea-infused heavy cream, sugar and corn syrup in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously*, until the mixture reaches 240 F (116 C) on a candy thermometer (about 15-20 minutes). The mixture will bubble as the moisture evaporates.
- Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla extract and salt. Continue stirring until the butter has melted and immediately pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
- Allow to cool completely (at least 4 hours) and then cut into small pieces. Wrap in cellophane wrappers or wax paper and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Notes
Tea bags: If using tea bags, I would suggest using three tea bags per recipe and removing the tea from the bags. Because the contents of tea bags are smaller than leaves, you may need to use cheesecloth (as opposed to a fine mesh sieve) to strain out all of the particles.
Stirring: When it comes to stirring your caramel you have two options.
Option 1: Stir the mixture continuously, making sure to splash the sides of the pot as little as possible. This method will ensure you don’t burn your caramels.
Option 2: Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring and continue cooking until the mixture begins to take on color. Reduce heat to medium-low and swirl the pan occasionally.