I can’t stop eating these caramels!

It all started because I couldn’t stop thinking about making caramels. I don’t know if it is because it’s fall, or apple season, or just because I love caramel, but I couldn’t get it out of my head. Whatever the reason, I set out to find a recipe.

Almost every recipe for caramels I found used corn syrup. I despise high fructose corn syrup so much that it has led me to not want to use any form of corn syrup. Also the fact that just about all corn is now genetically modified makes me stay away from all things corn. I have not eaten any in probably 5 years or more.

I read that the use of corn syrup helped to stop the caramels from eventually crystallizing but I don’t know how true that is. I also read that you could use a couple of drops of cream of tartar mixed with water in place of the corn syrup so I used it. I’m thinking that you probably don’t even need it and my next batch will most likely be done without it.

I finally found a recipe here but altered it a little. I added vanilla and chopped pecans. What goes better with caramel than pecans? Well chocolate also goes great with caramel but I’m saving that for my next batch.

So here is the recipe. You will need a candy thermometer to make these soft, chewy, amazing caramels.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces butter
• about 1/2 cup chopped pecans (all I had left in the cabinet)
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar mixed with 1/8 teaspoon water

Line a cookie sheet or baking pan with parchment paper. My cookie sheet was a little too large for this recipe so I suggest you use maybe a 9 x 9 square cake pan.

Put the sugar, honey and vanilla in a heavy sauce pan and cook until it turns dark brown. For some reason I couldn’t wait that long so I just waited until the sugar was all melted and it cooked a little. This is when I added a few drops of the cream of tartar/water mix.

While you are waiting for the sugar to melt and turn dark brown warm the cream in another pot.

Then you whisk the butter by chunks into the sugar mixture. Add the warmed cream and put in the candy thermometer.  Bring the mixture to a boil and keep cooking until it reaches 255 – 260 degrees.

I added the chopped pecans when the mixture was 255 and then brought the temp back up to 260. Pour it into your prepared pan and let cool.

Cut into squares and wrap if you want in parchment paper. I just put mine on a plate but they all kind of melded together so you may want to wrap or place sheets of parchment in between layers.

That’s it! So easy but so hard to stop eating them. I can’t wait to make my next batch and this time I think I will try adding some cocoa powder and see what happens. Chocolate caramels?