Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I know everyone says that, and I’m sure they mean it, but everyone means it in their own way and for their own reasons. Me, being a baker, makes it the time to dust off old recipes, try out new ones and get a little crazy whippin’ up some oldies but goodies! I love the smell in the house of baking cookies and having flour all over the counter from using cookie cutters and having frosting all over the place. It doesn’t get much better than that.
I also love playing scientist. Let me clarify, I love trying to conquer things that have alluded me before or things I’ve just never tried. I especially love it when it involves a candy thermometer! That’s when I know it’s gonna get tough!! I relish the challenge and almost always relish the results…..I said almost. So, I figured I’d put you up to the test and see what you can do……are you up for it?
I’ll start with an easy challenge….I’ve tried several variations of this recipe and the easiest one I’ve found is a recipe by Paula Deen called creamy caramels. I love the thought of homemade caramels but have never had great results with it….until this recipe. This takes a little patience but is well worth the result. The patience comes from letting the sugar butter and syrup mixture come up to temperature slowly, so that it doesn’t scorch. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat to hurry the process, I promise it’s worth the wait.
2 sticks butter, 2 1/4C packed light brown sugar, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1C white corn syrup, 1-14oz. can sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Butter a 9×9 square glass pan. Set aside. In a heavy saucepan, over MEDIUM heat, melt butter; stir in sugar and salt with wooden spoon. Stir in syrup, followed by condensed milk. Using candy thermometer, cook mixture to 245 degrees, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan and allow to cool completely. While mixture is cooling, cut waxed paper or plastic wrap in rectangular pieces. Cut cold candy into small pieces and wrap individually. You can get as many as 100 pieces out of 1 batch because of the thickness.
Ok, there’s your first challenge……let me know if you beat it or if it beats you!!
