Old-Fashioned Caramels
Before I was married, my future father-in-law would fix these creamy caramels at Christmas and send me some. The recipe has been in my husband's family for decades...so, when we got married, I learned to make them, too. 72 ServingsPrep: 10 min. Cook: 40 min.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 cup butter, divided
- 2 cups sugar
- 1-3/4 cups light corn syrup
- 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
Directions
- Line an 11-in. x 7-in. pan with foil; grease with 1 tablespoon butter
- and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn
- syrup and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat,
- stirring constantly; boil gently for 4 minutes without stirring.
- Remove from the heat; stir in cream. Reduce heat to medium-low and
- cook until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage),
- stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and pecans if desired. Pour
- into prepared pan; cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Gently
- peel off foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares. Yield: 2 pounds.
Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 77 calories, 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 27 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, trace protein.