bjones
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Caramel is one of my favorite candies. Like most foods, it’s even better fresh than store-bought. The recipe is simple and really only requires intermediate cooking skills. It is not a basic recipe because temperature-watching and timing are very important.
Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
4 tbsp salted butter (1/2 stick)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Grease a pan, any pan, or line it with parchment paper. This will be used later to allow the caramel to set. In a large pot, combine all ingredients except the vanilla. Place a candy thermometer in the pot and cook over medium heat. Make sure the candy thermometer is not touching the bottom of the pan. Stir occasionally for about 20 minutes until the temperature reaches 250 degrees F. Add the vanilla, mixing it in well. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour the caramel into the greased pan or on top of the parchment paper. Allow the caramel to cool for about 15 minutes. When it is cool, cut the caramel into small, bite-sized pieces. Enjoy!
As an option, you may want to add some chopped nuts into the caramel. You can do this at the same time you add the vanilla. The hardness of the caramel will be determined by the highest temperature the caramel reaches during cooking. This is because at higher temperatures, more water is evaporated out of the cream. For softer caramel, heat only to 240 degrees F. For harder caramel, heat to 255. Any hotter, and the caramel will lose its pliability and become a whole other type of candy.
 Posted 5157 day ago
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