GayleMO, I just made a batch of your caramel...

dawn_mo

dawn_mo

Well-known member
and I thought my arm was going to drop off! It looks beautiful and is cooling on the counter right now. I am going to make another batch adding some cayenne pepper to it, and maybe dipping it in dark chocolate and sprinkling it with a little sea salt, after my arm recuperates. I will let you know how the spicy version turns out. I love your candy recipes, they have helped me conquer my fear of candy thermometers!!!

 
Any candy makers around? I just tested some caramel off of the spatula and it feels

like it is too hard. Hopefully it has something to do with the thickness? If it is too hard on the spatula will the whole batch be hard? If so, I think I better get it out of the pan while I still can.

 
I decided that I better do something before it completely cooled,

so I lifted it out of the pan and using a scissors, started to cut it into strips and then into pieces. I am very glad I did, because I what have ended up with is a delicious batch of butterscotches. You don't dare chew them though, because I am quite sure it would pull your teeth out. What temperature would butterscotch be?
Edited: I found this chart, so I am definitely going to have to calibrate my thermometer, because there is no way that thermometer read 270.

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Candy/candytemp.htm

 
I'm following your progress with interest. I am planning on making

the carmels later this morning. In the past, for me, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. Thanks for the article - I'll refer to it when making the carmels.
Betty

 
DH and I made Gayle's recipe yesterday (for turtles) and had the same problem.

Of course, we were working in my mom's kitchen and she doesn't have a candy thermometer so we had to do the "firm ball" test in water. We cooked it about a minute or two too long. Got it drizzled on the pecans, but it got as hard as a rock and turned into sort of caramel brittle. So we need to practice our timing.

Great flavor, though. And my inexperience with candy is certainly no fault of Gayle's wonderful recipe!

 
I just tested mine and it appears to be off by about 15 degrees. Sheesh!

I have made peanut brittle with it and it was fine. Or at least the peanut brittle was fine. I am going to give it another try later this afternoon.

 
Hey all.....

Having an accurate thermometer is SO necessary in making candies of all kinds. The old fashioned water method is also accurate IF one is experienced with it. (probably not best for beginners!)

I've had great success with $2 glass ones from your local grocer or Walmart type store, too. Had one for years and years that was sooo accurate and I kept it under lock and key. Well...not really, but almost! Candy ingredients are too expensive, not to mention the time wasted, to have a batch turn out poorly because of cooking too long or not long enough.

This year, I purchased a new one off Amazon.com (MIU, I believe) and it is very accurate. I use that one and a glass one, and do the water test, if in doubt. smileys/smile.gif Sounds like a lot of trouble but it's really not if you remove it from the pan before you add chocolate and other ingredients. (pn butter, etc) I keep a sheet of aluminum foil across the back of my stovetop and lay the thermometers on it as soon as I remove the pan from the heat source. You won't have to wash the thermometers between batches if you don't get other ing on it.

Remember -- remove the pan from the burner AS SOON as the correct temp is achieved because as much as 2 degrees will make your candy a different texture.


For caramel, I would prefer to err on the soft side (unless you don't cook nearly enough and end with caramel SAUCE!) Everyone here prefers the caramel very soft so I shoot for that texture. Easy to chew and melts in the mouth!

I'm having pc problems so not able to get online much...so if you have any questions I will be slow in answering.

MIGHT be easier to call! smileys/wink.gif PM me your phone number if you want me to and I'll try that if you want.

Dawn, feel free to call me if you want. I'll be leaving for several hours in a bit, though.

I have about 10 (double) batches of candy to get made this week, so hope this ice storm they're forecasting doesn't zap our power again!

Love and miss y'all!

 
Raw pecans (didn't think about toasting!), and did half dark, half milk chocolate.

Ended up with a bunch of leftover milk chocolate and pecan bits so I mixed that together and made a chocolate bar. So good...

I made some true turtles with feet and a head (so cute!) and just made little piles with the broken pecans. Despite the hard caramel, it all tasted really good. We want to try it again soon. I do have a candy thermometer so hopefully it will work this time.

This was something my mom had requested we make for her. She basically isn't eating these days, so I thought any way to get calories into her is good.

 
My new candy thermometer SAID on the packaging to test it in boiling water. . .

and to make note of how many degrees it was off so I could take that into account when candy making.

So put your thermometer in a pan of water and bring it to a rolling boil and take note of how many degrees it is off from 212ºF. Of course if you are substantially above sea level, you need to take that into account too.

15º is quite a bit to be off when you need candy at that soft ball stage!

 
Thanks Gayle! Success! I just made another batch and

figured in the difference of the thermometer and it turned out very good. I think it is going to be on the soft side, but that's okay in this house too. I added a half teaspoon of salt in the beginning, and a half teaspoon of vanilla after I removed it from the heat. I might even add a little more salt next time. Thanks for the recipe adn thanks for the tips. My next batch will be with the cayenne and after that I am trying a batch of licorice caramels. Yum!

 
REC: Licorice Caramels

I made this but I only used 1 teaspoon of anise extract because most of the recipes I saw called for just using 1 tsp. I forgot to add the salt and I didn't use any food coloring. I haven't tried them yet but they smell good.

Licorice Caramels Recipe #8567
I originally found this recipe in the Orlando Sentinel in Dorothy Chapmans food column. She found the recipe in the 1991 Better Homes and Gardens Grand Holiday Cooking. This recipe is well worth the effort.
by Dlorez Haehlen
2 min |

64 pieces

1 cup butter (do not substitute margarine)
2 cups sugar
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon anise extract
1/2 teaspoon black food coloring or red food coloring
Line a 9-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.
Butter foil: set aside.
Melt butter in heavy 3-quart saucepan over low heat.
Add sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and salt, Mix well.
Carefully clip candy thermometer to side of pan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY until thermometer registers 244F degrees , firm ball stage.
Reaching firm ball stage should take 15-20 minutes (be careful, mixture scorches easily).
Remove from heat.
Remove candy thermometer from saucepan.
Add anise and color, stir to mix.
Quickly pour candy without scraping into prepared pan.
Cool several hours or until firm.
Use foil to lift and out of pan onto cutting board.
Peel off and discard foil.
With buttered sharp knife, cut immediately into one inch squares.
Wrap individually in waxed paper or plastic wrap.
Makes 64 pieces, about 2-3/4 pounds.
NOTE: mixture must be stirred constantly as tiny crystals that form tend to scorch quickly.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Licorice-Caramels-8567

 
REC: Spicy Caramels

I did everything the same as Gayle's recipe below, except that I added a half teaspoon of salt to the mixture in the beginning. Then when it reached temp, I took it off and added a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper. I really like it, and the heat is subtle (that is from wimp hubby). This would be great dipped in dark chocolate.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Gayle's Caramels

Recipe By :Gayle/MO
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Candy

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter (not margarine)
3/4 cup Karo syrup
2 cups light cream (I use half and half)

Butter 8' square baking pan. Combine ingredients in heavy (must be heavy, and not light weight) large sauce pan. Bring to boil over med high heat, stirring often.
Watch mixture, and as it begins to thicken and darken, stir constantly, until mixture reaches 245 degrees (firm ball) on candy thermometer.Immediately pour into prepared pan. Cool. Cut into squares and wrap with waxed paper. Store in tin. HIDE IT if you want to keep it, because it will be gone in a flash if
you don't! ha
** VARIATIONS: If desired, you can line the pan with chopped pecans before pouring hot caramel into it. Also, you can add 2-3 squares chocolate to the mixture when you remove from the burner for chocolate caramel. My family prefers this caramel plain, but the variations are good, too.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 
Thanks mistral...

I have made my second successful batch of caramels using that thermometer. I will be buying a new one tomorrow because I don't want to have it that far off. It is an antique deep frying thermometer that I am kind of attached to, but I will get a new one to use.

 
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