Old-Fashioned Homemade Caramels
Unwrapping a piece of homemade caramel just about towers the fall dessert collection. These old-fashioned caramels are surprisingly simple to make at home, requiring just a few pantry staples and a candy thermometer. Chewy, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth. They make for perfect gifting or hoarding all to yourself.
What you'll need:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
How to make it:
Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides for easy lifting. Lightly butter the paper.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk.
Clip a candy thermometer to the pan. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches 245°F (firm-ball stage). This usually takes 12–15 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and salt. Immediately pour into your prepared pan and smooth the top.
Let cool completely at room temperature (about 2 hours), no need to cover. Lift the caramel slab from the pan using the parchment. Cut into 1-inch squares using a sharp buttered knife or bench scraper.
Cut wax paper into 4" x 5" rectangles. Place each caramel in the center of a piece, fold the long edges over the caramel, then twist the ends like a candy wrapper.
Keep wrapped caramels in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 weeks.