Best Salt Caramels.....

[stacylyn]

I've never tried them, but keep hearing so much about them...love the salty sweet combo....so I'm looking for the best ones to order for the holidays (maybe chocolate covered, maybe not?). Can anyone suggest some resources for me?

Thanks!

[blue room]

stacylyn, I am going to try these--
http://littleflowercandyco.com/press_...

The reviews sound wonderful. Maybe someone has tasted these already, and can report?

[mnosyne]

Little Flower sea salt caramels have a really buttery flavor that lasts a long time on your tongue. They're mildly salty, and good. I've also tried the Fran's caramels. They're a little "precious". If you feel like experimenting, make the chocolate salt caramels in the December issue of Gourmet (recipe available on the Epicurious web site). I've been wowing my friends with them.

[notmartha]

They are indeed wonderful. I use salt very sparingly, so I found them to be more than mildy salty, but they have a good chewy texture, and good balance of sweet with the salty.

[wyf4lyf]

I loved them. I bought the salted, regular and lemon to taste test. Couldn't get enough of them, but the salted ones were definitely my favorite. I didn't realize how salty they were until tasting them next to the plain vanilla caramels. I LOVE that addition of salt!

[Ruth Lafler]

Thanks for that post -- I'll have to pick some of those up.

For the chocolate-covered style, I love the fleur de sel caramels from Michael Recchiuti: http://www.recchiuti.com/cgi-bin/recc...

[notmartha]

Just tried the Recchiuti sea salt caramels (purchased from Ferry Building). They are better than the Little Flower Company (but more expensive). It's a bit less salty, and the thin veil of chocolate really makes it more interesting.

[emerilcantcook]

I third (fourth? fifth?) the Rechiutti suggestion. Hands down the best salt caramels I've eaten. Of course, they taste better when you are sitting lazy at a bench, watching the ocean at the Ferry market. Rest of Rechiutti creations are also good.

[akq]

These are my favorites. YUM.

Also, in Seattle, Frans does good caramels and chocolate covered caramels.

[waldrons]

This isn't going to be overly useful, since apparently these are only available from the manufacturer in France, but they are amazingly good. Recchiuti's are good, but these are divine:
Caramel au Beurre Sale
from LeRoux Chocolatier, Quiberon, France

There is supposedly a retail store in Paris, but I've never been able to find it! If you can find them, try them!

[shortstop]

Agreed, the Leroux salted butter caramels are absolutely delicious. In Paris, L'Etoile D'or, 30 rue Fontaine, carries them. A little out of the way, it is worth the detour to stock up on the caramels as well as Bernachon chocolates.

For fleur de sel in a toffee - Valerie Confections' Almond Fleur de Sel toffee is scrumptious. (as are most of their toffees and their peanut candy.) http://www.valerieconfections.com/con...

[JudiAU]

There is a big range of flavors and salt intensity. I prefer the one that feature more salt and often are labeled "burnt" carmel as well. The Recchiuti mentioned above are very good when visiting SF but never very good off the shelf in LA. I also like the ones at Woodhouse in Nappa. I've got a big box on order as a christmas present to myself.

[duckduck]

http://www.franschocolates.com/catalo...
I enjoy these a lot.

[MsMaryMc]

Fran's are my favorite, and they have some other, higher-profile fans as well...

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/th...

[french roast]

Do you have a Trader Joe's nearby? They are making a version of their own this year. In the true TJ's tradition, they are quite good, and far below the price you would pay elswehre. Worth a trip.

[wyf4lyf]

I thought the TJs ones had a decent flavor but I wanted them to be a little saltier.

[MsDiPesto]

They are good, but I think the salt is only on the outside in the TJ caramels, at least last year that was the case.

I'm trying to make my own this year, first batch was a little overdone in the sugar boiling, but I kinda really like that taste.

I've had the little flower ones too, and liked those. That was a few years ago.

[chica]

If there is a local Whole Foods Market, they will have the salted caramels, including the Frans brand. Buy a box to see how you like them (they're a bit pricey though), and then you can move on to smaller, more boutique like brands :).

[ziggylu]

I bought some smoked and grey salt caramels from Fran's for my mother for Christmas. She opened them for all to try and everyone loved them.

[ceekskat]

I fourth or fifth Recchiuti fluer de sel caramels as they are not salty, not too sweet, just good quality, chewy, intense caramel flavor. However, I did have them at the Ferry Building so can't vouch for mail order as someone else mentioned.

[jsaimd]

I also endorse Recchiuti as the best I have had - the caramel is darker than some, which I prefer.

Fran's are good. Love Lilliebelle farms, especially their lavender salted caramel...mmm...but I do like the other Lilliebelle creations. They are out of the Rogue River Valley in Oregon I believe.

The one's without chocolate at TJs i tried were OK, but not great. Not enough salt, and too light for my tastes.

Charles' chocolates have some, which I put in the OK category, but prefer others. Tried Moonstruck - I liked the cajeta one, less much the salted caramel. They are more liquidy caramel. Tried one from Whole Foods, from Santa Cruz, CA I think and wasn't too excited about any of them.

[cassoulady]

I have made these a bunch
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/in...
super easy and super good

[Vetter]

I really like the fleur de sel caramel recipe on epicurious. I up the salt by about 50% and try to use the best butter and cream. If you multiply the recipe by 5 you've got a nice jelly roll pan full of caramels.

I think the Fran's are kinda blah.

[rcspott]

Check these out, really, really good, celtic sea salt, yum!

http://www.bequetconfections.com/prod...