The Freshman Cook: Club Baked~Soft Candy Caramels

Today is the day for Club Baked, and we are revealing our Soft Candy Caramels. I can’t lie about this. I had some problems with this recipe. I have made caramels before, so I know how important the correct temperatures are to the finished product. The recipe even warned me to make sure my thermometers were calibrated correctly. But I had just checked my thermometers during my Christmas candy making marathon, and they were good to go. So what happened? Somewhere between then and now, my thermometers stopped working correctly, resulting in my first attempt at this delicious candy to be not so delicious. More like a sticky, gooey, messy disaster. But, I am so glad I tried again. My second attempt was perfection, if I might say so myself! The result was a creamy, chewy, deep caramel taste that lingers on your tongue, and coats your throat with warmth. Try this recipe. Your tongue will thank you! I am the host this time around, so here is the recipe!

Soft Candy Caramel

2 cups light Corn Syrup

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar

2 cups Heavy Cream

2/3 cups Condensed Milk

1/2 cup unsalted Butter, room temp,cut into cubes

2 teaspoons pure Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Lightly spray a 9″ square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray

 and line it with foil, allowing the foil to just overhang the sides

 Lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, gently stir together the corn syrup and sugars,

along with 1/4 cup water. Set the saucepan over low heat and continue

to stir gently until the sugars are dissolved.

 Once the sugars are dissolved, clip

a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, 

turn the heat up to medium high,

and wait for the mixture to reach 240-245 degrees.

 This should take about 7 minutes.

You do not want to exceed 250 degrees. 

Watch your temperature carefully.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together the cream

 and the condensed milk and set over medium heat. 

Gently warm the mixture, but don’t let it boil.

Once the sugar mixture turns amber, remove it from the heat 

and stir in the butter and warm milk mixture until completely combined.

Be careful about splattering; it may bubble up when you add 

the milk mix. Place the pan back on medium heat, 

stop stirring, and bring the mixture back to 245-250 degrees.

Remove the pan from heat, stir in the vanilla and the salt, 

and pour the caramel into the prepared pan.

 Allow the candy to set for 8 hours, or overnight.

Place a sheet of parchment over the caramel, 

and invert it onto a cutting board. Remove the foil.

Spray a chefs knife with pan spray.

 Cut the caramels into 1″ by 1/2″ pieces.

and wrap them in wax paper or candy papers. 

Twist the ends of the papers to resemble old school candies. 

Distribute with brio to friends and family.

This great recipe is from Baked Explorations 

by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. We are baking

our way through this wonderful, tasty book. 

We would love for you to join us!

Next recipe we will be making~Nutella Scones!! Yum!!

Thanks for joining us!