How To Make Carmel

Learning how to make caramel is not as difficult as it may first seem. There are different ways to make caramel depending on its intended use. Caramel candies take a bit longer to make and require much more patience. They are also temperamental and easily affected by moisture in the air. Making caramel sauce is much faster and is great for serving over ice cream and cake or for dipping fresh fruit.

Supplies and Ingredients Needed to Make Caramel Sauce

• Heavy Saucepan
• Wooden Spoon
• 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
• ¼ cup Light Corn Syrup
• 2/3 cup Half-and-Half
• ½ cup Cold Water
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Procedures to Make Caramel Sauce

1. Mix together cornstarch and water until smooth. Place mixture into the saucepan.
2. Add brown sugar, corn syrup and half-and-half to the saucepan. Mix together well.
3. Cook mixture over medium heat until bubbly. Stir constantly to prevent burning.
4. Continue cooking and stirring for an additional two minutes.
5. Remove saucepan from heat.
6. Quickly mix in butter and vanilla.
7. Serve warm or cool.
8. Caramel sauce can be stored in the refrigerator and gently reheated as needed.

Supplies and Ingredients Needed to Make Caramel Candies

• Heavy Saucepan
• Wooden Spoon
• Candy Thermometer
• 8x8 Baking Pan, Lined with Foil and Buttered
• 8 ounces Unsalted Butter
• 16 ounces Dark Brown Sugar
• 14 ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 8 ounces Light Corn Syrup
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Procedures to Make Caramel Candy

1. Melt butter over low heat.
2. Add brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup; mix well.
3. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
4. Insert the candy thermometer into the caramel mixture, clipping it to the side of the saucepan.
5. Continue boiling and stirring constantly until candy thermometer reaches 245 degrees. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes. Caramel is ready when a small amount of mixture is dropped into ice water and forms a firm ball and holds its shape when removed from the ice water.
6. Remove from heat and quickly stir in vanilla.
7. Quickly pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Allow caramel to cool completely.
8. Cut caramel into one inch squares. If cutting is difficult or sticks to the knife, grease the knife with butter between cuts.
9. Wrap caramels in plastic wrap. Each caramel should be wrapped individually to prevent them from sticking together.

Quick Tip to Make Caramel Apples

Instead of pouring hot caramel mixture into a baking pan, quickly dip apples into the hot candy immediately after adding vanilla. Place dipped apples onto a wax paper lined baking sheet to harden.