Soft butter caramels

Method

1. Line a 20cm square baking tray with baking paper. Mix the cream, condensed milk and vanilla in a saucepan and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy-based saucepan, combine the golden syrup, 60ml cold water, sugar and salt. If your sugar thermometer clips onto the pan, attach it now. Put on a high heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved, running a fork through occasionally if it needs evening out, for 5-10 minutes. Brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any crystals.
3. When the sugar has dissolved, leave it to come to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 120°C degrees (hard-ball stage) – after 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, gently heat the cream mixture until just warm – don’t allow it to boil. When the sugar mixture reaches 120°C, slowly stir in the butter and the warmed cream mixture, keeping the sugar mixture boiling all the time. Stirring constantly, cook over a medium heat until the thermometer reads 110°C (firm-ball stage) – another 10 minutes or so. Pour it into the prepared tin immediately, using a spatula to remove all the mixture. Leave in a cool place for around 2-3 hours to cool completely.
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5. To cut, remove the caramel from the tin, keeping it on the baking paper. Cut into squares using a long sharp knife and remove the squares to more baking paper – they’re soft, which makes them fabulous to eat but means they shouldn’t be handled too much. They’ll keep in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks