Homemade Caramels

Remember the Whitman's sampler, the box of chocolate covered stuff: nougat, bark, caramel, fruit flavored goo.

Every Christmas, one of these boxes showed up at our house.

And being the picky child I was (still am) We would poke a hole in the bottom of each piece of candy to see what it was.

What a great day it was when they started putting the map, key, chart in the lid.

What we were always searching for was the caramel ones. And if the box was really fresh, that caramel would be so soft. When you bit into it, then started to pull the candy away from your mouth, you'd get that golden string of caramel...You know what I'm talking about, and not just the string, the whole story.

So in my kitchen journeys, I've tried making caramels a few times. I've tried recipes that were too soft (wouldn't hold shape)



too hard (you could spend days trying to chew it)

boring flavor

wrong flavor, just off, not sure how to describe it.

And then it happened, completely by accident.

I was looking for something else and I stumbled on this recipe from the Joy of Baking

The picture drew me, then I read the recipe and it was different.

All the other recipes I've tried had butter in them, this one? No butter in sight.

Maybe that's it?

So I have to try.

And I have to tell you, THESE ARE THE BEST CARAMELS I HAVE EVER EATEN!

And they hold their shape, and they have that caramel string when you bite into them.

And they are so easy to make!

Homemade Caramels

1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons vanilla (optional)

In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, combine cream, sugars and salt.

 Over medium to medium high heat bring mixture to a boil while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

Once mixture comes to a boil, attach candy thermometer and stop stirring.

Remember my tips on using a candy thermometer, don't let it touch the bottom of the pan, make sure your mixture covers the mercury tip all the way.

Now the original recipe talks about brushing down that crystal ring you see around the top edge of the pan, but just ignore it, as long as you don't stir it in at the end, it doesn't affect the final product. And it's so much easier to ignore something.

While your caramel is boiling, prepare your pan, butter well a 8x'8 baking dish, or line with parchment first and then butter the parchment. I was lazy, I just buttered my dish.

Back to your pot, continue boiling, without stirring until your temperature reaches 245 degrees, the firm ball stage.

I probably had mine closer to 250 degrees.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla if your using. We made it with and without and the family preferred the flavor without the vanilla added.

Pour into your prepared pan

Let your caramel and pot cool a bit, then carefully get a sample taste from the cooled pot. OMG!

Let your caramel rest for at least 8 hours or overnight. I know it's hard but you can do this.

Time to finish these babies off! This caramel is so good, only the best will do (at least the best I can get my hands on!) Ghirardelli Chocolate. Remember I found it at Sam's Club a few weeks ago.

Place your chocolate in a double boiler or microwave it, follow the directions on the chocolate and get it melted.

To remove your caramel from the baking pan, oil a spatula with a flavorless oil, I used vegetable oil, and slip the spatula under the caramel to lift out.

Place onto an oiled cutting board.
Just put some oil on a paper towel and wipe down, keep the paper towel handy, you'll need it.
Now using an oiled sharp knife, it's time to cut.

If your caramel starts sticking to the knife re-oil.

Just look at all that beautiful caramel waiting to take a chocolate bath! Using a dipping tool or a fork, dip or drizzle chocolate to completely cover your caramel with chocolate. Place on parchment paper to set.

Note: this was my first time working with Ghirardelli candy making bars. This chocolate set up faster than any of the candy bark or melts I have used and the flavor is beyond superior!

Now make your candy pretty, Just drizzle more chocolate over your candies, this will also hide any imperfections.

Oh and all that chocolate drizzle on the parchment paper didn't go to waste, I had children just waiting for me to finish so they could have that paper!

Need a closer look?

And if for some reason you don't want your caramels covered in scrumptious chocolate, you can just cut some waxed paper into squares

And wrap your caramels individually

Can you imagine a bowl of these on your desk at work?

Now I'm off to Sam's to see if they still have some of the Ghirardelli Chocolate left!



I linked this recipe up at Every Day Mom's Meals Church Supper
and at Crumbs and Chaos Seasonal Inspiration
and also Newlyweds Recipe Linky and
at The Holiday Sweet Swap