I’m not going to lie to you. I almost wrote this recipe off as a total, ugh-inducing recipe fail.
See, these were supposed to be CARAMELS. Ooey-gooey, stick-to-your-teeth, smooth and glossy caramels. Nice and pretty and perfect for Valentine’s Day (because, you know, we do holidays very early in food blogger land). But apparently my candy thermometer was a bit off, because I pulled them off the heat too soon and ended up with fudge. Watching them set up, I could tell they weren’t right and I got super frustrated. But then…THEN….we tried them. And they were so absolutely amazing that I couldn’t NOT share them with you guys. Enter: bourbon salted caramel FUDGE!
This happy accident started as an earnest endeavor to mix my favorite indulgence (salted desserts) with Brad’s favorite (whisky) for the ultimate romantic Valentine’s Day treat. Also, I love the idea of making your own candy and individually wrapping it to share with co-workers/friends/kiddos on Valentine’s Day – so much more special than a Reese’s, right? (NOT hatin’ on Reese’s because I LOVE DEM, and also maybe no bourbon for the kiddie ones, but you get my drift.) In any case, they didn’t turn out quite how I expected, but I ended up loving them even more because of it – kinda like love, AMIRIGHT? (OK, fine, no more “love is like a batch of failed caramels” analogies. I’ll stop that right there.)
In any case, this bourbon salted caramel fudge is downright addicting. It’s caramel-y with a pop of saltiness from the sea salt sprinkles, and the bourbon lends a smoothness and a depth of flavor that’s unmistakable. I absolutely loved them. I’ve included directions below for what (I think) will yield either fudge or caramels, so feel free to experiment and make whatever version you want. Either way, it will come out fantastic, and—trust me—no one will complain one little bit. So instead of the Whitman’s Sampler this year (please tell me everyone has seen this video?) try your hand at these gourmet bourbon sea salt beauties. Happy early Valentine’s Day, everyone!
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 2 tbsp. bourbon
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- Large-flake sea salt (I used Maldon brand)
- Before starting the candy, spray an 8x8 square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add a layer of parchment paper, allowing it to come up a bit on 2 sides. Spray the parchment paper with the nonstick spray again.
- Bring sugar, corn syrup, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, until the mixture turns a deep amber color.
- Remove pan from the heat and whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and the butter chunks. Whisk vigorously until combined and smooth; be careful and don’t get too close to the pan – the mixture bubbles up quite violently. Return the pan to medium-low heat and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Cook, whisking constantly now, until the candy thermometer hits 240°F for caramel, and slightly lower (about 235°F) for fudge.
- Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the kosher salt and the bourbon. Pour into your parchment-lined pan and allow to cool at room temperature (putting it in the fridge can make it grainy). Once cooled to room temperature, sprinkle with the sea salt and cut into pieces (I did 10 rows of 6 pieces, but make them whatever size you want.) Wrap each piece in parchment paper.
- I’d recommend storing fudge in the fridge and caramels at room temperature. Caramels keep, stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic, for 2 weeks at room temp.
Looking for more sweet and salty treats for Valentine’s Day?
Browned Butter Bacon Rice Krispies Treats
