Oh, I also cooled it on a cookie sheet

I always cool it on a cookie sheet, and your pan sounds fine. I wonder if it could have anything to do with the metal spoon. I always use a wooden spoon, mainly because it won't conduct the heat and burn my hand. Anyone have any thoughts on that? Not on me burning myself, but on the metal spoon in general!

Could you have "played too much" with it when you spread it around?

Is you candy therm. correct? Maybe it went to a higher temp?

These are some ideas- I dunno.

I used a cookie sheet and a wooden spoon to. I wonder if its the metal spoon. I also just replaced my candy therm a few days ago. I know the last time I made candy with it not knowing it was not working right my candy did not turn out at all from the start.

candy therm brand new so that is not it... maybe the metal spoon? I don't think I played much. I appreciate all the input and help

Did you spray your cookie sheet with anything ? I sprayed mine with a very light coat of pam.

Yes did spray with light coat of Pam

I would love to know what the problem was because I plan to make the caramels again and again. What kind of pot did you cook it in? I use a non stick.

Well sounds like maybe the metal spoon and yes, Mel, it was HOT! What was I thinking with that too???? I thought it would stick more to the wooden spoon. UGH OK try again tomorrow with wooden spoon. I will let you all know and if anyone else has thoughts I will check them before stirring

Hehehehe... a 240 degree metal spoon can suck! Especially when you're in a clutzy mood and drop it in the pan and have to use another spoon to fish it out. I hope you have better luck this time. Hopefully it was a fluke.

OK took a couple of days but I did the caramel again. What I noticed was I added the vanilla before cooking and not after it came off stove. Could that have done it? I also used a wooden spoon...duh

Well, I don't think that would cause that problem. The reason you add the vanilla after cooking is that otherwise it will mostly cook out. Are you saying you made it again and it did it again?

No I did everything right now AND used the wooden spoon. So far looks great, taste soooo good. So maybe it was the metal spoon. Otherwise don't know what it would have been since it wasn't the vanilla. Hmmmmmm go figure

Warning.....just because your therm. is brand new doesn't mean it's working!!!! I ruined 3 batches of english toffee a couple of years ago with a brand new therm. You can always check to make sure yours is acurate by doing the boiling water test.

Bring a deep pan of water to a boil. put the therm into the water like you were checking the temp of your candy. Wait 30 seconds or until the indicator stops moving. The boiling point of water is 212' (100'C). The BP changes with elevation so you may have to adjust a little if you live
way up high!

Some of the candy recipe books have this information and also how to adjust your recipe temp based on how your therm reads if it's off a little.

HTH

Ok Dinny, I am keeping my fingers crossed that it was just a silly one time fluke!! Let us know!

Kathy, thank you for mentioning that, it's very important to insure that your therm is accurate for things like this recipe because just a few degrees is the difference between caramel syrup and caramel candies! Or, caramel rocks!!

It's good, it's yummy, it's caramel wonderful!! Doing the caramel dance of joy!! Dance with me Mel!! woo hoo Must have been the metal spoon.
Thanks for all the support and input all... let's all do the dance of joy

Good for you Dinny!! Im glad it worked out because that is some delicious stuff! We all have to remember to keep the metal spoon away from the caramel !!

I didn't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but I was thinking that was the problem! There are a lot of candies and similar things that don't do well with metal. Some recipes even say no metal.

I agree. I always try to keep metal away from lots of things ! Plus the wooden spoon doesent get HOT!!

Good grief... I stood here doing the dance of caramel joy all night... I'm wiped out! Whew! I need some good cupcakes to perk me back up! Who's turn was it to send me some?? I know someone out there was going to, right?

Oh Darn ! I ate them all!

Oh.. someone needs to sit down with a big bowl of fresh caramel !..
Well they were good !

Oh suuuuure, rub my nose in it.

now now now we are suppose to be doing the caramel dance of joy... no bickering while dancing! If it helps Mel my household is praising you

I have to say that Im still eating those caramels I made I believe on Oct 28th. I did wrap in wax papers and they are still as fresh as day 1 Of course Im eating the ones I hid cause hubby ate the rest.
So they are 10 days fresh !!

Ok Dinny, that does help!

I so hate ALL of you right now.......


I don't even know WHY I thought I could look at this thread and survive it.....I'm on day three of Atkins and now I'm going to have to start all over again.

And MELVIRA.....do you have any idea how hard it is to write your name on a recipe in all caps, and not hit caps lock first?? Shift, left hand, shift, right hand......oh my gosh, I have to get some SUGAR!!!! I'm going to lose my mind!!! (I'm pretty sure PMS is rearing it's ugly head again too, so I'm really screwed right now!)

Callyssa... I'm so sorry we are derailing you!! Wait a minute... no I'm not. I've told you guys about my diet plan... make all of you fatter, then I won't look so big. I'll just look average!

Ok, so you're dieting and we're screwing with you... do you like pumpkin flavor? I have a new recipe that I'm just tweaking for pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Oh, alright, I won't be mean.

You are so CRUEL!!! And BAAAAAD!!!