Honey Nut Caramels

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place a 4 1/2 by 8-inch flan form in the center of the foil. With a paper towel, coat the foil and the inside of the flan form with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. Set aside.

   Step 2

   In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Add the sugar, honey, and vanilla bean, stir to blend, and return the mixture to a boil. Wash down the sides of the pan two times with a pastry brush dipped in warm water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.

   Step 3

   Increase the heat to medium-high, place a candy thermometer in the pan, and cook the mixture until it registers 253°F on the thermometer (10 to 15 minutes), stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula.

   Step 4

   Remove the pan from the heat; remove the vanilla bean from the mixture with a fork, stir in the butter, then blend in the cashews. Pour the mixture into the prepared flan form. Let the caramel cool completely at room temperature (2 to 3 hours).

   Step 5

   With the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil, coat a cutting board and the blade of a large chef’s knife. With the knife, loosen and remove the flan form; invert the caramel onto the cutting board, and peel the foil off the caramel. Cut the caramel into sixteen 1/2-inch-wide strips, then cut each strip into four pieces. In a tightly covered container, between sheets of waxed paper, or wrapped in waxed paper rectangles, the caramels will keep for 2 weeks at room temperature.