Homemade Caramels

Buttery and creamy, these homemade caramels will be the only caramel you’ll ever need.

These caramels are soft with a beautiful creamy texture. You can wrap them individually or use the caramel in other recipes that require a large number of caramel pieces.

Tools we need to make Caramels.

When we make any sort of candy there are always a few tools that are always required. For success with candy making a thermometer is mandatory. Cooking sugar for candy can be tricky, the temperature can change quickly. It is very important to monitor temperatures when making any kind of candy.

Candy Thermometer

You will need a candy thermometer to make these caramels. There are a number of options available from glass bulb thermometers we attach to the edge of the pot to digital thermometers with probes that are placed in the cooking vessel. All are great options and will work for making this caramel. They can be found in any store that has a kitchen gadget section.

Pastry Brush

You will also need a pastry brush. When we cook sugar, we need to keep the inside of the cooking vessel clean. It is a very important step you should never skip; it prevents crystallization which can ruin the entire batch. You can find pastry brushes in the gadget section of the grocery store, at Dollar Stores and in the kitchen section of hardware stores. They are inexpensive and will last for years.

Parchment paper

Parchment paper is a must have for making caramels. We line the inside of the pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the finished caramel. Never use wax paper for candy making, the cooked sugar is very hot, the wax will come off the paper and the caramels will be ruined.

We also will be using 3×3 squares of parchment paper to wrap our finished caramels. You can cut the squares of parchment while the caramels are cooling. We cut the caramel slab into 36 pieces, depending on how you slice your caramels will determine the number of squares you will need. 

A Large Pot

It is very important to use a large pot when making caramels. The process creates extreme bubbling and using a large pot prevents it from bubbling over on to the stove. It is the safest way to make caramels to prevent burns from happening because of spills.

Oven Mitts 

Working with hot sugars requires the use of oven mitts. If hot liquid sugar gets onto your skin it sticks and will cause burns. Wearing oven mitts during the addition of cream, stirring the caramel and pouring the caramel is highly recommended.

Take Your Time

Do not rush the process. Cooking the sugar over medium temperature is best for this recipe. It will give you a bit more control when the sugars start to brown and achieve the proper finished temperature. Cooking on high is not recommended. 

Homemade Caramels

 

How To Make Caramels

Prepare the pan. 

Butter the bottom and sides of the pan with butter. Lay a sheet of parchment paper in one direction. Lay another sheet of parchment in the other direction making sure there is a bit of overlap in the corners. Lightly butter the parchment paper.

 Prepare the sugars.

In a large saucepan pour the sugar into a pile in the center of the pot. Pour the corn syrup over the sugar. Pour the water around the edge of the pot. Gently stir the sugar, syrup and water together until it looks like wet sand.

Wash down the pan. 

Using a pastry brush dipped in water, wash down the sides of the pot, pushing any remaining crystals into the liquid. Be sure to get the bristles of the brush nice and wet. Use a sideways painting motion moving any sugar/corn syrup residue down into the sugar/corn syrup base. Wet the brush often and wipe the pot until the entire inside surface of the pot is clean.

Cook the sugar.

Attach the thermometer to the pot making sure the base of the probe is not touching the bottom of the pot. Cook the sugar mixture over medium heat, do not stir. Bring to a boil and continue to cook. 

Heat the cream.

Meanwhile, over low heat slowly heat the heavy cream. We want to warm the cream until it begins to steam, add the butter vanilla and sea salt. Stir to combine.

Cooking the sugar.

Without stirring, continue to cook the sugar. It is important to continually monitor the sugar while it is cooking. As it cooks, the colour begins to change from clear to amber. Watch the temperature, when it gets to 320°F we will slowly add the warm cream.

Be aware, the addition of cream to the mixture will create a blast of hot steam and the caramel will bubble up quite violently. After the bubbling subsides, stir gently until combined. Continue to cook over medium heat without stirring until the temperature reaches 240°F.  

Pouring out the caramel.

Remove the pot from heat when the caramel hits 240°F. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Set the pan on a cooling rack and allow the caramel to cool for at least 4 hours. 

Slicing the caramels.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl. Butter a cutting board and knife with melted butter. Your pastry brush is perfect for this job. Remove the caramel slab from the pan, lifting it out by the edges of the parchment paper. Place the slab on the buttered cutting board, remove the paper.  Using a long-buttered knife make a smooth cut through the entire slab. Continue cutting the slab into strips. Using the same cutting motion cut the slabs into squares. Be sure to butter the knife between each cut.

 

Storing the Caramels

The best way to store your homemade caramels is to wrap each one individually in parchment squares. Place a caramel on the edge of the 3 inch by 3 inch square and roll away from yourself. Twist the ends to seal. Store in an airtight container.

These Caramel Cornflake Cookies are a great way to use some of the caramel you just made.