When the holidays roll around, sometimes all you see in the way of candy is chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Making some caramel candies to share with your friends will give everyone, including yourself, a welcomed break from chocolate. Here are two delicious caramel candy recipes to try:
Soft Butter Caramels
These soft and chewy caramels melt in your mouth. They're packaged up neatly in little pieces of wax paper, which makes them easy to give away as gifts. The recipe makes about 40 caramel candies.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Start by lining an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with wax paper, and spray the paper thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.
Next, combine the butter and cream in a saucepan, and warm the mixture over medium heat just until the butter melts. In a separate pan, combine the corn syrup, water and sugar.. Cook this mixture over low heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side of the pan. Do not stir the mixture during this time, but watch the temperature closely. When the temperature reaches 300 degrees F, remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the heavy cream mixture.
Return the pan to the heat, and heat it to 250 degrees F. Then, remove the pan from the heat again, stir in the vanilla, and pour the caramel mixture into the prepared pan. Let the caramel set overnight, and then use a sharp knife to cut the caramel into squares. Wrap each square in a piece of wax paper, twisting the ends of the wax paper to enclose the caramel completely. Enjoy!
Crunchy Nutty Caramels
This is a harder caramel candy that's made with chopped nuts for some texture and another flavor. The rough, non-uniform shape of these caramel candies gives them a rustic look.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Cook this mixture over medium heat for about 10 - 15 minutes until it reaches a temperature of 285 degrees F on the candy thermometer. Do not stir the candy as it cooks. Remove the candy from the heat, and stir in the pecans and hazelnuts. Spread the mixture out on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Let the mixture set; this takes 2 to 3 hours. Then, break the candy into pieces, and enjoy. To purchase from professionals, contact a local outlet, such as http://www.abdallahcandies.com.
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