In the world of confectionery, precision is your best friend. I’ve spent a lot of time testing this recipe to get it just right, moving away from "cup" measurements and focusing on weight. By balancing equal parts butter, sugars, and glucose, we get a caramel with a perfect "short" bite—it’s rich, stable, and has that luxurious mouthfeel we’re all looking for.

Why These Ingredients?

I’ve found that small choices make a huge difference here:

• Glucose Syrup (454g): I prefer this over corn syrup. It’s less cloying and does a better job of keeping the caramel velvety and crystal-free.
• Unsalted Butter (227g): This is where that "short" texture comes from. High butter content means it bites cleanly instead of stretching like taffy.
• Light & Dark Brown Sugars (227g each): Using both gives you the best of both worlds—subtle caramel notes from the light and deep molasses undertones from the dark.
• Heavy Cream 40% (240g): If you can find it (often called Manufacturer's Cream), use it. The extra fat makes the emulsion more stable and the flavor even richer.
• Vanilla (1 tbsp or 1 bean): This is your aromatic finish. If you go with a whole bean, those little natural flecks look beautiful in the finished product.

Ingredients Checklist (By Weight)

• Butter: ½ lb | 227g
• Light Brown Sugar: ½ lb | 227g
• Dark Brown Sugar: ½ lb | 227g
• Glucose Syrup: 1 lb | 454g
• Heavy Cream (40% preferred): 1 cup | 240g
• Vanilla: 1 tbsp (15ml) extract OR 1 whole vanilla bean

The Process: My Step-by-Step Method

1. The Gear: If you have an all-copper sugar pan (like the Mauviel in my photos), now is the time to use it. Copper is the gold standard for heat distribution, which helps you avoid those annoying hot spots and scorched sugar.

2. Get Prepared: Caramel moves fast. Before you even turn on the stove, have your station ready. If you're making clusters, have your nuts laid out. If you're doing bars, have your rulers set. You want to work with this while it’s hot and fluid.

3. The Melt: Combine the butter, glucose, and both sugars in your pan. Melt them over medium heat, stirring just enough to make sure the sugars dissolve into the fats evenly.

4. The First Milestone: Bring the mixture to a boil until your thermometer reads 220°F (104°C).

5. The Quench: Now, slowly pour in your heavy cream. The goal is to "quench" the mixture while keeping the temp above 200°F (93°C). Pour in a slow, steady stream and keep stirring to keep that emulsion smooth.

6. The Soft-Ball Stage: Continue boiling until you hit exactly 240°F (115°C). This is the Soft-Ball Stage. It’s the sweet spot where the caramel is firm enough to hold its shape but still soft and chewy.

A quick note on temp: If you go higher than 240°F, it gets brittle; lower, and it’ll stay too syrupy.

7. The Finish: Remove from heat immediately. If you’re using a vanilla bean, split it, scrape those seeds, and stir them in. If using extract, stir in your tablespoon now.

8. The Pour: Don't wait! Dollop that hot caramel onto your clusters or into your frame immediately.

A Final Chef's Tip: The Salt

To really make those buttery notes pop, I love finishing my clusters or bars with a pinch of Maldon or Fleur de Sel. That little hit of salt against the dark brown sugar is a game-changer.

Keeping it Fresh

Keep this at room temperature—it’ll stay perfect for about 2 weeks. Because of the high butter content, it might start to feel a little "grainy" after 14 days, but usually, it’s all gone long before then!