Sniccups!! Hilarious! I love it!
No, Hall, Auntie ButtPain does NOT deserve some of these. These are what I am adding to my 'Premium' line of cupcakes. People will not be getting these bad boys for $1.25, so siree!! And these are not for problem customers either. You have to be good, good, good to get these! Thanks for needing something, that gave me the idea!
Fiddle, you know I love you! And Chass, even though you've gone to the dark side, you're still on my 'good' list for Christmas! 
You two are incorrigible, and I wouldn't have it any other way! {{{You Two}}}
But hey, yah, cupcake party at my house! (Hope y'all know how to plaster and do drywall! I have a few rooms to go! Hehehehe) (Don't worry, I also need a few to dote on the babies, first come, first serve!)
Ok, I thought I'd share the 'next day' assessment. I had one of the "Galaxies" mini cuppies. I always like to see what new ideas are like after they sit for a while. Well.... NO problem here! 
I didn't fill the minis because I was just feeling lazy, but they are still awesome!!! Here is a peek inside! YUM-A-ROONY-DOONY!!! I just love how the caramel feels silky and smooth in contrast with the crumb texture of the cake. It's a real winner!
DH sent some replies home to me from work (that is of COURSE where I sent the big ones!) and people really like them. One lady said she really likes that you have to eat them slower because of the caramel, so you really get to savor the taste. With the regular cuppies they are so darn 'slammable' that they pound them back without getting to truly enjoy them half the time! (That's why they always want two or three!)
Ok Now that is just plain 
Posting that delicious looking cupcake ,I dont care what size it is 
Thats is way way past looking good ! So what stage did you cook the caramel too for these ? 
Ya I know you talked about the different stages and probably posted the stage you used already but what stage was it 
Thx for the pictures they are just darn right delicious looking !
Now Fiddle, I wouldn't want you to have to go back and look at the instructions or anything, so I'll REPEAT MYSELF!! hehehehe, just teasing of course! I took these to about 242 or 243. It made them wonderfully soft, but they held up on the cuppy, didn't run off the sides. I was able to cut it with a cookie cutter. So, firm but chewy I guess. When I make caramels for cutting into chunks and eating 'out of hand' I always make them firmer or else when you lay them on the platter (or wherever) they start to slide down and spread out. ANNOYING! 
And yes, by the way, posting that pic was straight up evil in some respects, but I'm getting this weird (and totally inaccurate) rep around here of being nice and helpful. I had to set the record straight, and QUICK! 
This seemed like the best way to hurt many people all at once!
Thx for not making me hunt all the way back to page 1 
We have to keep the thread going anyway dont we ?
Ok so say you were making these to just eat out of hand. How do you store /wrap them for that? Do you wrap them in the little square papers ? Or what ? Will they get real hard ?
Is this caramel recipe a Mel original ???
Oh Sorry the recipe it self was on page 2! And anything with sweetened condensed milk in it has to be good !
Mel, did you use dark chocolate or milk? Looks like dark to me. I don't remember you saying specifically but I could be wrong. But I doubt it. lol. Just kidding.
When I make them to eat out of hand I usually cook them to almost 250. And I do a plethora of things to them. It depends on what the customer wants (or whoever will be eating them) what time of year it is, and what the occasion is, you know? Sometimes I put them straight on a platter, sometimes cut in squares in a little mini candy liner, sometimes wrapped in colored foil, etc.
I also really like to do fun things with the caramel apples. This week I made peanut, M&M, and pecan. I also like to do mini Reeses pieces, chocolate drizzle, anything!
Mel, did you use dark chocolate or milk? Looks like dark to me. I don't remember you saying specifically but I could be wrong. But I doubt it. lol. Just kidding.
I did actually specify milk chocolate, I *think* but you were probably too busy drooling!! (I forgive you for that!) I figured that would be more like the actual candy becuase it's milk chocolate, you know? But you could do whatever flavor you like best! My sister already wants some with white chocolate! 
Awesome ! Do you have any wrapped caramel pictures??? Yes Im a PITA !!! I had some yummy apples coated with choc chips and drizzle an caramel in my photos but CC removed them in the cleaning out!
Oh now that looks very nice! Thx !!! Each different way looks just as nice, just depends on what ya need ! Oh good I have some little papers in red n green to !
Ok how long will they keep ? stay fresh ? You know the questions !
Baby, I sell anything someone asks for. (Ok, don't take that TOO literally.) 
But seriously, I sell all the things I make, and the way I come up with new things to sell is by people asking for them. I never thought to sell my fruit tarts until someone tasted them and wanted to order them. I was like, "Uh... yah... ok." The reason I didn't have those on my 'menu' at the time is because fruit can run so different in price from day to day, store to store, I had NO idea what to charge for them. So, I just tell people that the price for them is dependent on what fruit is going for at the time. That seems to work out ok.
Boy Mel How dull would your life be with out us beggers to brighten it up !
Yes Does Hubby know you sell it all ?
Looking at the carmel reminds me of christmas. Every year at christmas my parents would make a huge pot of carmel, like an army pot on a 6 burner stove, took all day stirring. They had cookie sheets from one end of the house to the other filled. We still make it every year, my recipe has heavy cream in it and takes forever, I am going to have to try this recipe to see if its easier.
And Mel, licking the spoon is the best part, and I have had many burns from the splatter of hot carmel... but its well worth the pain.
I will have to make the cuppies for the fam this year...
Thanks for all your tips.............. Shirl
You are SO welcome Shirl!! I also have a recipe that requires heavy cream and I prefer it for making flavored caramels (anise is the BOMB!!) but I like this one for caramel apples, and because it's made of things you have on hand all the time. I rarely have whipping cream on hand unless I get it for a specific reason, so I like to fall back on this one. Plus, it's a different flavor.
Phew! Milk chocolate is what I just bought! Now I'm all ready. My hubby is laughing cuz I have a miserable head cold and I still dragged myself out to get the ingredients. This is all I can think about. (I really need a life. lol)
Mel,
Your caramel apples look yummy. On this Yahoo candy group I belong to - a lady there makes caramel apples and puts cut outs of candy clay on them - She made one with colored white candy clay cut outs of leaves for fall. Just thought I would share. Her name is Mel too!
Ok.. how long will they keep ? stay fresh ? You know the questions ! Oh Mel !!!!!
Clearing throat, Tapping fingers on table ! Singing the elvira song.
Oh Hubbs is your biggest customer ! LOL!!
Okay, sorry if I'm being a PITA......... Is the one recipe of caramel enough for however many regular sized cupcakes that a mix makes? Or should I double it?
I'm sorry, but Melvira is currently enjoying a family dinner with her husband and children. Your questions are important to us. Please hold and we will answer your questions in the order in which they were received. Your wait time is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. (I've got to run to the store too. Sorry. I'll be back to answer them all ASAP!!)
LMAO!! You are too funny! And amazingly enough, your wait time is shorter than the IRS's!!
Did you ever just want to hit yourself on the back on your own head?? I just went to get everything ready in my kitchen.........and I'm out of cupcake liners. I never run out - I buy some every couple of weeks just so I don't run out! Maybe it's a sign - take some cold medicine and go to bed. Too bad my kids didn't get the "go to bed" sign... Come on 9:00
Thats ok I have a rerun of house I can watch !
mjballinger .. Im sorry ! That really stinks ! 
I hate when that happens or your an egg short etc ! GRRR!!!
If you're like me when you're sick, mjballinger, your cupcake liners are probably right in front of you and you just can't see them. Go to bed! Cupcakes will wait!
Okay Mel now that I've stopped drooling I now have a big wet stain up my computer where I just licked the screen. Not good. Thanks for all the info Mel. 
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