October is National Caramel Month!

We here at Sweet Tooth Productions have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like a caramel candy.  Whenever we use caramel candies in a candy buffet it is guaranteed that by the time the party ends the caramel dish is practically licked clean.  What is it about this sweet treat that everyone loves?  Our guess is that it evokes childhood memories for the mature crowd and when it comes to kids - well really they aren’t that picky (lol).

Soft caramel in it’s essence is sugar that have been heated at various temperatures depending on what consistency you are trying to make.  October is National Caramel Month and while we have no idea why (please feel free to share if you are in the know) we can share with you a brief history overview.  Soft caramel candy was invented in America (exact date and location is unknown). Americans first started producing hard caramel candies around the year 1650 by boiling water and sugar in kettles over a fire. During the 1800′s, butter and milk were cleverly added to the standard recipe, and  the soft chewy caramel candy (that we here at Sweet Tooth Productions prefer) was born.  Following its invention candy manufacturers all over the States began mass producing caramel candies.  Bet you didn’t know that Milton Hershey’s first business was actually the Lancaster Caramel Company!

In honour of delicious National Caramel Month one lucky staffer at Sweet Tooth Productions scoured the web to find a fairly “fool-proof” recipe for making your own delicious caramels.  Sure you can go to your local store and buy a bag, but nothing tastes sweeter than warm fresh homemade caramels! HINT – they taste amazing in coffee or hot chocolate, just drop one in after you make a fresh cup and trust us - your sweet tooth will thank you!

FIRST THINGS FIRST – Caramel Making Safety

When heated, sugar is very sticky and hot and it burns easily so please until you master making your own caramels take tremendous care (and you should ask the
kids to sit this one out…).  Caramel burns can be pretty nasty. Wear long sleeves and glasses if you have them as hot caramel can splatter and we can’t stress enough – burn!  As a precaution it’s best to have some ice and/or ice water on hand when your working as it will help stop the throbbing of a burn.  Better to be prepared…

TIPS FOR CARAMEL MAKING

A candy thermometer is handy to have when making your own caramels, as it will help you tell the temperature of your caramel (if you don’t trust yourself to
go by the colour).  You can find one at your local Michael’s Craft Store. Color will also indicate the stage it is in. As mentioned before ice water will help stop a caramel burn. Make sure your utensils and pans are perfectly clean before you begin.  Now if  you burn the sugar you have to start over – burnt caramel is not like burnt
pizza crust or burnt toast, nothing you do will make it better and it will taste awful!  Lastly , practice makes perfect – don’t give up if you don’t get it the first time.  Once you do master making your own caramels you will be happy that you stuck with it!

HOMEMADE CARAMEL:  A recipe by AmberLee (copied from www.giverlog.com)

 

Yield: about 60 caramels

Prep and cook time: 1 hour (not including time to cut and wrap caramel

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, unsalted

1 cup light corn syrup (11.5 oz)

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (or substitute two cups half and half or
light cream, I almost always use sweetened condensed milk b/c makes for shorter
cooking time)

2 1/4 cup brown sugar (14.5 oz.)

1 tsp. vanilla

Equipment:

- candy thermometer

- heavy, 3-qt. sauce pan, or 6-qt. if doubling the recipe (having a heavy pan
is important, if your pan is too thin it can heat the caramel unevenly and make
it separate)

- parchment paper (how I love parchment paper, i’ve never found anything that
sticks to this stuff)

- 8×8 or 9×9 pan (or large jelly-roll cookie sheet if doubling recipe)

- wax paper for wrapping caramels
Method:

1. Every time before using a candy thermometer, clip a candy thermometer onto a pan full of cold water and bring it to a boil (make sure the thermometer is
not touching the bottom of the pan). I cheat on a lot of things, but I never cheat on this. Boiling water should read 212°. Once the water is boiling, make note of any difference in your reading, and adjust your reading accordingly when you make the candy (for example, if thermometer reads 210° in boiling water instead of 212°, then take caramel off at 242° instead of 244°).

2. Line pan with parchment paper, even up the sides. Prepare any apples, pretzels, or other things you’ll be dipping. Chop any nuts or prepare any candy you’ll
be sprinkling on top.

3. Cut butter into smaller, even sized cubes for even melting. Melt over low in sauce pan.

4. Carefully add sugar by pouring it into the center of the pan. If any sugar crystals stick to side of pan, push them down with a damp pastry brush so they do
not crystallize the entire batch and make you want to cry. Stir slowly until well combined with melted butter.

5. Add and mix in corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk (or cream).

6. Cook and stir on medium for one minute, then to med.-high until boiling. You want to change temperatures slowly so you don’t shock the candy. Once boiling,
clip on your candy thermometer (again, don’t let it touch the bottom of the pan). By the time your caramel is boiling, if you have been stirring
well, you should have the butter fully blended into the caramel mixture, not separated.

7. Reduce heat to about medium, adjusting so that you keep a moderate, steady boil.  Stir frequently. I’m serious about the stirring. If you let your caramel
go too long without stirring, you’ll end up with a separated, greasy batch of caramel. No good.

8. Temperature does not raise at a steady rate, so watch thermometer closely. If you have any doubts about the accuracy of your thermometer, periodically do a test
by dropping a little in cold water. When your thermometer reaches thread stage (230–233°), take out any caramel that you would like to use as dip. When
thermometer reaches late soft ball stage (234–240°), dip in a few apples for caramel apples (UPDATE: Click here for a great pro tip for perfect caramel
apples.)

9. When thermometer reaches 244°, remove caramel from heat (this is low firm ball stage; reaching this stage from boiling takes me about 30 minutes with
sweetened condensed milk and longer with cream, though I have had a reader reach it in less time, so watch closely).

10. Stir in vanilla. If dipping, start immediately. If making caramels, pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Either way, take care not to burn yourself,
this stuff is so so hot.

11. Allow to cool for several hours and use a butter knife or kitchen shears to cut pieces (TIP: a clever reader suggested a pizza cutter, another preferred her trusty Santou knife, lightly buttered). Wrap in wax paper. Or to save on cutting time, just leave the whole batch out on the counter with a knife next to it and watch it
gradually disappear.

And, for handy reference, here is the candy temperature list:

230–233° Thread

234–240° Soft ball

244–248° Firm ball

250–266° Hard ball

 

Have fun and good luck!!!  If you have the time drop us a line and let us know how the recipe turned out for you.