Homemade Soft Caramels are amazing. So soft, chewy and delicious!
Candy making is as big a part of our holidays as cookie baking is. My mom has always been a fudge maker and she makes a mean divinity which I have never been able to make. Each Christmas she makes a batch for my brother. Maybe one of these years I’ll get some too. I think she likes my brother better than she likes me.
My grandmother was a candy maker too. Today’s recipe is her caramel recipe. We’ve been making it for three generations in our family. My grandmother, my mother and me! My mother remembers sitting at the kitchen table and wrapping caramels. She didn’t like the job but that meant she could sample as she went along which made the job easier. I too, remember sitting at the kitchen table wrapping caramels and eating a few along the way. I know my girls have the same memory!
Making caramel takes a bit of time. My friend April, who is an amazing candy maker, calls it patience candy because you just have to wait for it.
You will need a candy thermometer to make caramel because you need it to reach a certain temperature – for this recipe that is 243 degrees. You will need a candy thermometer to make caramel. This is the one I use.
Caramel is made in stages. You first combine sugar, corn syrup and half and half and boil for 10 minutes and then gradually pour in the half and half.
Then add in the butter.
And then cook the mixture over a medium low heat. Don’t rush it or you will burn it.
The other thing you must have for candy is a nice heavy gauge pan. If you don’t your caramel may burn or you will have to stir a lot more. I am lucky enough to have my mom’s old candy making pan. It is the bottom of an old pressure cooker and works great. Goodwill is a great place to pick one up or if you’d like a new one this is a good heavy gauge pan.
Stir the caramel as it boils to avoid it burning on the bottom. You want the temperature to reach 243 degrees. As it gets closer it will get thicker and more golden brown. After it reaches 243 pour it into 2 buttered 8 x 8 pans As you pour it into the pan, do not scrap the bottom of the pot. You may find some of the caramel has stuck a bit and even turned dark brown. That is fine but you don’t want to scrap that into your finished caramels.
Now allow the caramel to set up. As you pour it into the pan, do not scrap the bottom of the pot. You may find some of the caramel has stuck a bit and even turned dark brown. That is fine but you don’t want to scrap that into your finished caramels.
Then it is time to enlist the help of the kids – it’s time to cut and wrap the caramels. I get about 25-30 caramels out of a pan. I usually cut mine about 1″ x 1 1/2″.
Place the piece of caramel on a small piece of wax paper. I like to make a log shape out of my caramel so I fold the caramel in half and wrap it up in the wax paper and then twist the edges.
I love, love caramel and this caramel is so soft and delicious.
I love to throw a handful of caramels onto each of my holiday cookie plates. They have a tendency to disappear really fast though!!
- 1 1/2 C light corn syrup
- 2 C granulated sugar
- 1/2 C butter cut into pieces
- 1 C half and half
- 1 small can 5 oz. evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Using a heavby gauge pan, combine sugar, corn syrup and half and half. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Bring to a boil over low heat. Boil for 10 minutes.
- Add evaporated milk a little at a time.
- Add in butter.
- Bring back to a boil and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 243 degrees Stir now and then. Stir more the closer it gets to the desired tempeature. Mixture will thicken and turn golden brown
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour into 2 8 x 8 butter pans and allow to cool and set up
- When cool, cut into pieces and wrap in wax paper.
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Even at such an advanced age, I learn something new every day. I like your brother more than you!? I think my children are perfect – all three of them.
Thanks for the memories. I’ve wrapped, and eaten, a lot of caramels through the years. These sound wonderful.
Maybe I’ll get some divinity this year and you can prove me wrong 🙂
I made this last night and received rave reviews. my question is when do u add the vanilla – I added it after the milk and it seemed fine but just want to make sure that’s the optimal time.
Michelle, So glad you loved the caramels too! Sorry about leaving that direction off. I add it in at the very end when I take it off the heat but I realized when I made them this last time I forgot to add it in and they still tasted wonderful.
Hi, prob silly question but what is half and half?
Thanks
It is a dairy/milk product you will find in the milk section of the grocery store, next to the whipping cream usually.
I have a questions about your instructions? See below
Caramel is made in stages. You first combine sugar, corn syrup and half and half and boil for 10 minutes and then gradually pour in the half and half.
Is it the evaporated milk you pour in gradually after it boils??
Also, do I need to make adjustments to temperature (243) if I live in Utah at around 4,000 feet above sea level.
Dana, The complete, detailed instructions are at the bottom of the post. Just scroll down the post and you will find it at the bottom of the post. It is all explained there. I am not sure about the altitutde difference but I don’t think you need to make an adjustment.