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Caramel Candies

Source of Recipe

From "Baking for the Holidays" by Sarah Kieffer


Recipe Introduction

"Homemade caramels are the bee's knees. While I enjoy a basic caramel as much as anyone else does, I highly recommend trying the variations below: Triple sec adds a lovely orange flavor; the salted caramels are divine; and espresso will wow any coffee lover."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
â—¦ ½ cup light corn syrup
â—¦ ¼ cup water
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
â—¦ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
â—¦ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract



Recipe

Grease an 8 by 4-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling so that the paper comes up all the sides and has about a 2-inch overhang on each side. Grease the parchment paper.

In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan (the caramel will bubble up quite a bit once it starts cooking, so it's important to have a deep pan) over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt, stirring very gently to combine while trying to avoid getting any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan. Cover and bring to a boil, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is clear, 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the sugar has turned light golden and reaches 300° F on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 7 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until deep golden (340° F), about 4 to 5 minutes more.

Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add the heavy cream and butter (the cream will foam considerably, so be careful pouring it in). Return the pan to medium-high heat and cook until the caramel reaches the desired stage, stirring frequently, 4 to 7 minutes. For soft, melt-in-your-mouth caramels, cook until 248° F, and for firmer caramels with a bit more chew, cook until 252° F. Stir in the vanilla off the heat. Let the caramel sit for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bubbles subside.

Carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to eliminate any air bubbles. Let the caramel cool completely, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.

Using the parchment overhang, lift the caramel out of the pan. Peel away the parchment paper and cut the caramel in half lengthwise, then cut each half into twelve 2-inch pieces, for 24 rectangular pieces. Candies can be left as rectangles, or cut again into squares, for a total of 48 pieces. Individually wrap each caramel in wax paper or cellophane, twisting the ends of the paper closed. The wrapped caramels can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 24 large or 48 small caramels




Variations:

• Orange Caramels:
Add 1 tablespoon of triple sec and 2 teaspoons of grated orange zest to the caramels along with the vanilla.

• Espresso Caramels:
Add 1 teaspoon of finely ground espresso and 1 tablespoon of strong, freshly brewed coffee along with the vanilla.

• Salted Caramels:
Top each cut piece of caramel with a sprinkle of fleur de sel before wrapping.