Pinterest is full of wonderful looking recipes but one thing I have learned that just because the picture looks delicious does not mean that the recipe actually tastes good. I've tried a lot of bad recipes that looked fantastic and turned out to be tasteless.
That being said I've also tried many recipes that have made it into my family's recipe book as favorites.
This recipe for caramel is one that has made it into my top favorite recipes. It has been a hit with everyone each time I have made it. I usually cook the caramel so it sets a bit harder but if you like softer caramel you can cook it a few degrees less.
At the harder consistency it tastes almost identical to Mackintosh Toffee, just a little creamier.
At the harder consistency it tastes almost identical to Mackintosh Toffee, just a little creamier.
Some things I learned while making this recipe:
1. If you cook the caramel too long it will set really hard and will be impossible to cut. You could just break it into pieces if you wanted but I find by doing that you end up with sharp edges.
What I do after it's set is put it back in the oven for about 1 min in its tinfoil lined pan. That will usually soften it just enough to be able to cut. You will have to do this quickly though because the caramel will cool down fast. If that happens just pop it back in the oven for a few seconds to re-soften.
Just remember to watch it carefully it doesn't take long to melt caramel too much in the oven and then you will have to wait for it to set again.
What I do after it's set is put it back in the oven for about 1 min in its tinfoil lined pan. That will usually soften it just enough to be able to cut. You will have to do this quickly though because the caramel will cool down fast. If that happens just pop it back in the oven for a few seconds to re-soften.
Just remember to watch it carefully it doesn't take long to melt caramel too much in the oven and then you will have to wait for it to set again.
2. Another thing that has happened to me is not cooking the caramel enough. At this point you just have a pan of caramel syrupy mess. It's a delicious mess but not good for making candy. I have actually just taken the caramel put it back in the pot and reboiled it to get the proper temperature.
3. A good candy thermometer is definitely a must for this recipe but if you don't have one there are other ways to judge whether or not your caramel is at the proper temperature.
Other Tips :
The cold water test is one really good way to test for readiness if you don't have a candy thermometer.
For this recipe you want your caramel to be at about 250 degrees F. If you want a harder candy you will need to heat to about 255 degrees.
If you are using the cold water test you are looking for your caramel to meet the description for the firm ball or hard ball stage.
Other Tips :
The cold water test is one really good way to test for readiness if you don't have a candy thermometer.
For this recipe you want your caramel to be at about 250 degrees F. If you want a harder candy you will need to heat to about 255 degrees.
If you are using the cold water test you are looking for your caramel to meet the description for the firm ball or hard ball stage.
You can also find the written recipe and video tutorial here http://www.joyofbaking.com/candy/Caramels.html
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did and I would love to hear from you about how yours turned out and if you have any extra tips to share that you learned while making this recipe.
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