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VERY, VERY OT Test your candy thermometer!/Caramel recipe

I have a fairly large bunch of "groupies" who can hardly wait for the holidays when I make my homemade caramels. I made a batch last night. The mixture just would NOT cook to 245 degrees. I kept raising the heat hotter and hotter. Wouldn't do it. I finally had the heat almost to high (should have cooked on medium) and the sugar was starting to smell burnt, so I poured it into the pan. It cooled and became rock-hard like a lollipop. grrrrr!!! So I made another batch this morning. It reached 210 degrees and I did the cold water test and found it was overcooked already. Another batch that cooled as hard as a rock. grrrrr, again!!! Finally, it dawned on me- I couldn't possibly have muffed up two batches- something must be wrong. I rushed to WalMart and bought a new candy thermometer. Got home and boiled a pot of plain water. The new thermometer read 212 and the old one read

150. That explains the burnt, hard candy- my old thermometer had died since last year.

I just made another batch with the *new* thermometer and it looks to be perfect! YAY!

Here's the very easy, very yummy recipe:

CARAMELS

1 cup butter 1 16 oz. package (2-1/4 cups packed) brown sugar Dash salt 1 cup light corn syrup (Karo is the preferred brand name) 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk) 1 teaspoon vanilla

Butter 9X9 in. pan, set aside. Melt the one cup butter in a heavy 3 qt. saucepan (I used a 2-1/2 qt. pan and it worked). Add the brown sugar and salt, stir thoroughly. Stir in the corn syrup. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly. Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the pan (thermometer should not be touching the bottom of the pan.) Cook over medium heat stirring occassionally to 245 degrees- this will take 12 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into buttered pan. When cooled, cut into squares. Wrap pieces individually in clear plastic wrap. Makes about

2-1/2 pounds.

Variations: Use either light golden brown sugar or dark brown sugar for different flavors. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts with the vanilla. For chocolate caramels, add 2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate that has been cut up after adding the sweetened condensed milk. Stir until the chocolate is melted and then continue cooking stirring occassionally.

You're welcome!

Leslie & The Candy-snitching Furbabies in MO.

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
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Reply to
Taria

Sounds like fun!!! Having it turn out, that is! I copied the recipe....I'll let you know how it turns out.

Betty in WI

Reply to
Betty in Wi

Do you have my address????? Yum! KJ

Reply to
KJ

And furthermore. Be sure you 'temper' your thermometer. I thnk that's the word. It means to put your thermometer into whatever you're cooking as you begin to heat - or - at least put it into hot water before you punch it into really hot candy or frying oil. Whatever. Thermometers don't like to go from 0 to 250 rapidly - at least some don't. DD killed a nice one by expecting it to go from cold to frying without a gentle warm-up session. I would explain that to you if I understood it and thought you cared. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

yup, that works with pool thermometers too. someone had taken it out of the pool, laid it on the concrete (in mid summer, mind you), then someone else picked it up and stuck it in the water to check the temp and poof!!!! it stopped working, it even popped the glass. the glass is fully enclosed thank goodness or the mercury would of been in the pool and we'd probly of had to empty and refill the whole damn thing and the cost of that would be astronomical to say the least. water aint as cheap as it used to be, eh. eeeeeeeeeek jeanne

Reply to
nzlstar*

Oooooooo! Thank you, thank you, Leslie! Both for the tip AND the recipe. I had decided to make caramels this year along with turtles and French cookies! Now I KNOW I have a great recipe.

Cindy

Reply to
teleflora

Now see! That's worth the price of admission right there. I didn't even think about this. I shall rely on you for pool advise next summer. Mine was installed just in time to close it up. I didn't even get a toe wet.

Cindy

Reply to
teleflora

Leslie, wow, thanks. I love candy and caramel is my favorite.

Sunny

Leslie & The Furbabies > I have a fairly large bunch of "groupies" who can hardly wait for the

Reply to
Sunny

you can also make candy by the "water method"

I find it easier then using the candy thermometer

Reply to
Christina in Ok

That is mostly what having a pool is about. Lots of work, cleaning and fussing and less swimming than you expected. When you hop in it on a hot summer afternoon though you forget all the work and the trouble is worth it! Taria

teleflora wrote:

Reply to
Taria

My pool guy promised me 10 minutes a week. It has one of those new "salt system chlorinators". Yeah, I don't know what that means either, but he was pretty excited about it. And since the pool is only 12' X 24', I will be able to stand on one side and run the leaf thingie from one spot.

They ran the filter when they installed it and let me tell you that pump is powerful. The pool was spotless in an hour.

I got it because I get so awfully hot when I mow the grass. Now I can cool off!

Cindy > it's gonna ice and snow here in kansas today. I'm ready for spring.

Reply to
teleflora

What'd you do with the two batches? You do know you can bash it to bits and then sprinkle over ice cream.....mmmmmm.....yummy....or just send it to me and I'll do it fr you!!! LOL

Reply to
Sharon Harper

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