bean and seeds to the milk and cream and set aside Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and set aside You will use this again in Step 7 To make the caramel, place the water in a large stainless steel saucepan Pour the sugar into the center of the pan With a high-heat rubber spatula, stir very slowly to mix the sugar and water together, being careful not to wipe or splash the mixture onto the sides of the saucepan Add the corn syrup and slowly stir together Examine the saucepan closely, and if you see sugar on the sides, wash it back into the mixture with a clean, wet pastry brush You will not stir the mixture again until the end of cooking Place the large mixing bowl filled with ice water on the stove Place the saucepan on medium heat and bring to a boil without stirring The sugar will dissolve, and the mixture is now a syrup Insert a digital thermometer and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 300°F/150°C; start warming up the milk and cream When the syrup reaches 325°F/160°C it will be golden brown Turn off the heat and dip the bottom of the pan into the bowl of cold water for 10 seconds to stop the cooking Using the rubber spatula, place a drop of caramel on a small white plate; it will cool in about 15 seconds Taste it and see if the caramel is bitter enough; the plate will also allow you to see the color of the caramel; the darker it is, the more bitter it will be Cook it a little more if you prefer a slightly more ... mixture reaches 300°F/150°C; start warming up the milk and cream When the syrup reaches 325°F/160°C it will be golden brown Turn off the heat and dip the bottom of the pan into the bowl of cold water for 10 seconds to...stir very slowly to mix the sugar and water together, being careful not to wipe or splash the mixture onto the sides of the saucepan Add the corn syrup and slowly stir together Examine the saucepan closely, and if you see... sugar on the sides, wash it back into the mixture with a clean, wet pastry brush You will not stir the mixture again until the end of cooking Place the large mixing bowl filled with ice water on the stove