The difference between these caramel types is in the amount of moisture present in each, and how much heat you use when cooking them. When making soft caramels, mix water (about a quarter of the sugar’s quantity) with sugar and transfer the syrup to a confectionary batch cooker. To make hard caramels, sprinkle sugar in a dissutator and cook over low heat (around 32 °C or 90 °F), stirring constantly to prevent burning. Special caramel making machinery is neither necessary nor recommended for small scale production, but for much more than that, investing in a batch or continuous caramel making machine would be a smart move. A high quality electronic mixer is a good starting point as well.

The popularity of salted caramel candies is certainly on the rise. You can find them practically everywhere, from ice cream to confectionary. The best part is that salted caramel candies only require a slight modification to the making process. To make salted caramel candies, sprinkle coarse sea salt (approximately the same quantity as the sugar you used to make the caramel) over the top of the caramel after you’ve allowed it to cool for between 8-10 minutes. For large scale production, water-cooling is handled by the cooling wheel. Machines come with cutters for cutting the candy into different shapes and sizes. As well as wrapping for the final step.