Chocolate Caramels

Tasty, soft chewy caramels. The chocolate flavour is quite subtle - use more if you want them more chocolatey.

1. 1

   Grease a medium tin** with a little softened butter, then line the base with baking paper, with overhang at two opposite ends.
   Put the sugar, liquid glucose / honey and water into a saucepan and place over a medium heat, stirring all the time. Bring the mixture to the boil. When the sugar has dissolved (approx. 5 minutes), stop stirring, reduce the heat to low and leave to bubble gently until it turns clear again, and then turns a light caramel colour (15-20 minutes).
   Meanwhile, keeping an eye on the caramel so that it doesn't burn, put the 100 g butter and the 180 ml cream in a saucepan (with a pinch of salt if using) and heat gently until the butter has melted. When melted, turn off the heat and leave it in the pan until the caramel is ready.
   Melt the chocolate over a separate pan of simmering water. Again, when melted turn off the heat and leave until needed.
   When the sugar syrup has reached a light caramel colour (about 15-20 minutes), remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter and cream, then return to the heat. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until it reaches 117 – 120 C (soft-ball stage***). This takes about 45-50 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the melted chocolate until smooth.
   Pour the chocolate caramel into the prepared tin and leave at room temperature for at least an hour, then cover with clingfilm and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set completely (can be left overnight).
   Once set, remove the caramel from the tin, using the paper, and cut into pieces with a sharp knife. Eat as they are or wrap each one in greaseproof paper.