Quiltingboard Forums - Caramel Candy recipe

Caramel Candy recipe

My 88 year old Mother learned this recipe in junior high in Appleton, WI. She refused to give this recipe out to anyone other than immediate family until two years ago (along with the candy 'fried oysters' recipes! My daughter, Sarah, now also makes these each Christmas with great success.

Grandma Bear’s Caramels

1 can evaporated milk (May use 2 cups heavy cream---I have with good results. Do NOT use sweetened condensed)

2 cups (equals one pound) dark brown sugar

1 cup (dark preferred) Karo corn syrup

1 cup butter (same as 2 sticks or ½ pound)

1 cup nuts (optional---Grandma never used)

Melt butter in a large saucepan. (Grandma always used what has become our spaghetti pot to cook the caramels. The mixture foams quite a bit while you are cooking it.) Add sugar, milk and syrup. Bring to a low boil and stir constantly until softball stage is reached---possibly 25 to 35 minutes. If you aren’t using a candy thermometer, drizzle a bit of mixture into a cup of cold tap water until you find the caramel texture you want. Hint: When you are stirring and you begin to see the bottom of the pot you are close. That’s the ‘sign’ Grandma used to begin testing.

Have a buttered pan prepared ahead---or better yet parchment paper lined. A 9 by 13 works well. Carefully and quickly pour the hot caramel mix into the pan when it reaches the stage you like. Set aside. It will need to cool for hours before the candy will be ready to turn out and cut. Wax paper is a good wrap for the cut caramels.

See the thread posted by quiltingnonie/Laurie for cutting and her fudge recipe! :-D
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-82330-1.htm