I'm not looking for a caramel sauce, but caramels that you cut and wrap in wax paper or similar. I'm looking for a recipe that doesn't used condensed milk since I don't have any, but uses cream. Anyone have a tried and true recipe that you've actually used? There are tons of recipes online, but I have no idea which to try!
I am at work right now but I will try to post my recipe I use when I get home today (as long as I get home at a decent time) I use a recipe out of one of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks. The original recipe has cream in it, but then they have another version with the condensed milk. I have used both (the condensed milk just has the time cut down qutie a bit) and have great reviews with them both.
When are you looking to make them?
Here are some links to some recipes with cream.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/recipe-caramels.html
http://www.carrieschocolates.com/Recipes/creamcaramels.htm
HTH
Here is a really good recipe from one of my Christmas Cookies cookbooks, it is an older recipe from the 1950's.
Christmas Caramels
1 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Grease around the top of dutch oven to prevent boiling over( or use a 4 Qt. large heavy bottom pan) melt butter in pan. Use a pastry brush to brush some of the butter to grease a foil-lined 9x9 baking pan. Set pan aside. Add remaining ingredients except vanilla, to the pan. Cook over medium high heat and stir till mixture reaches soft ball stage, or 234-243 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and quickly pour caramel into prepared pan. Let stand at room temp. Or in fridge till firm. Grasp end of aluminum foil: lift out caramel and invert onto a cutting board. cut into 1x1 squares. Wrap each in a square of wax paper and twist ends. Makes 7 dozen.
OK... I will probably need a nap after typing this all out but I hope you like it! This is a recipe I get request for every year now... I put this into a 9x9 pan, cut the pieces about 3/4"x3/4" (which is plenty big for how sweet it is) and I get about 100-110 pieces out of it. I loose some b/c I have rounded corners on the pan I had been using so I trimmed up the outside, now since I have some nice square corner pans I will probably be able to get even more out of a recipe. oh and I also leave out the nuts-we have enough of those around!
Caramels - BH&G 11th Edition
1C chopped walnuts (optional)
1C butter
1 16oz. package (2 1/4 C) packed brown sugar
2C half and half or light cream
1C light-colored corn syrup
1t vanilla
1) Line and 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Butter the foil. If desired, sprinkle walnuts onto bottom of pan. Set pan aside
2) In a heavy 3-quart saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add brown sugar, half-and-half or cream, and corn syrup; mix well. Cook and stir over medium-high heat till mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Reduce heat to medium; continue boiling at moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, till the thermometer registers 248, firm-ball stage (45-60 minutes)
3) Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Stir in vanilla. Quickly pour the mixture into the prepared pan. When caramel mixture is firm, use foil to lift it out of the pan. Use a buttered knife to cut into 1-inch squares. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Makes about 2 pounds (64 pieces-this is if it is 8x8 pan)
Shortcut Caramels: Prepare as above, except substitute one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk for the cream. This mixture will take less time to reach 248 (about 15-20 minutes instead of 45-60 minutes)
leily...I tried your recipe today, and it tastes wonderful, but I must need a new thermometer or something! I boiled to exactly 248, and it actually only took about 25-30 minutes, and they've set up too hard! I'm going to get a new thermometer soon and try these again!
leily...I tried your recipe today, and it tastes wonderful, but I must need a new thermometer or something! I boiled to exactly 248, and it actually only took about 25-30 minutes, and they've set up too hard! I'm going to get a new thermometer soon and try these again!
Glad you liked the taste. Yes a good thermometer is a must for any candy making, it makes a world of difference. I had borrowed one from someone when I first started and things turned out ok, but when I got a good one it made a big difference. (I bought a digital timer with a thermometer plug in so it is digital-Love it)
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