Simple Caramel Candies

These lovelies came from my kitchen!

Sorry for my absence loyal readers! I am back now with a couple of recipes up my sleeve to help you in your endeavors for a sweeter life. :)  I have to apologize for the fact that my posting will be a bit less regular for the next couple of months... I found out that I have to watch my sugar levels, so this means that I cannot eat anything I bake anymore! So its easier just not to bake, unless I have someone I can had the products of my kitchen on to... Today's recipe is being split among co-workers and my cousin's family in Richmond.  Hopefully everyone enjoys!

This recipe was given to me by my friend N.C.  She works at a university and a student brought these in.  Apparently they went like hotcakes (which begs the question... how exactly DO hotcakes go?).  Once I heard that I had to have the recipe.

Let me just say, I love N.C. for getting and sharing this recipe!

I told you, only four ingredients. How simple?

This recipe is so simple. Only four ingredients. FOUR.  It all gets cooked in one pot, chilled in a pan and then its done.  It is a little time consuming though, even though its simple, so be sure to have about an hour to stand and stir the mixture as you make these caramels.

I should mention that candy making of the sort that requires a candy thermometer always scared me. Once when I was in high school I tried to make divinity for a class project (I have no idea what class or why now...) and I ended up burning my hand. So that turned me off from candy making beyond truffles and other chocolate confections. BUT now that I have made these, I know that its much easier and less scary than I remembered. The only thing you need to keep in mind is this: hot sugar mixtures = napalm, so handle with care.

I should also mention, outside of my obsession with salted caramel coca/mochas, I only like caramel in Caramello bars (the ones you get in Europe and Canada, not the American ones.  I am not sure why the same company cannot make Cadbury in the US as well as everywhere else because American Cadbury is subpar...).  So the fact that I love these is a big deal.

These caramels are so buttery and delicious...

These would make a great gift along with a few other handmade candies. :)

Simple Caramel Candies


Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup light kayro syrup
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• dipping chocolate (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and cook over high heat in a small saucepan, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 250 degrees on a candy thermometer.  If you want a softer caramel cook until it reaches 248 degrees.

It goes from this... 

... to this...

to napalm.

Remove from heat and pour into a well buttered 9x13 inch pan.  Allow to cool.  Flip pan over to turn out caramel block and cut into squares using a pizza cutter or kitchen shears. I found the shears to work easier for me.  You may want to butter the cutter or shears to keep the mixture from sticking if your kitchen is warm.  If you are not going to dip the caramels in chocolate, you can wrap the candies in waxed paper at this point.

make sure the pan is buttered VERY well, or it will be hard to get out when its cool.

I did not grease my pan as well as I would have liked. :(

This picture shows my pizza cutter. I recommend using shears instead.

Dip squares in melted chocolate.  Let set on waxed or parchment paper.  Wrap candies in individual squares of waxed paper or foil wrappers.

waxed paper offers a lovely homemade candy touch!

You can also cut up the caramels to be about the same size as chocolate chips and keep about a 1/2 cup of those aside for our next recipe...

Enjoy!

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