I always wanted to make candy. I am a big Laura Ingalls Wilder fan and I always remembered reading Farmer Boy and the time that Almonzo fed candy to his big and the ruckus that followed. I was in awe how easy it was for them to mix this and that and come up with taffy. Since then, I have always wanted to make candies. I found the recipe for Apple Cider Caramels, on one of my various reads around the internet. Great! I have leftover apple cider, heavy cream and light corn syrup at home! It was meant to be!
I would recommend having a good cooking thermometer for this dish and you will need to measure the temperature twice.
Pyramid of Caramel
Ingredients:
2 cups of apple cider
1 cup of heavy cream, divided 1/3 and 2/3
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of allspice
1 1/2 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of light corn syrup
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cubed
Directions:
- Pour apple cider into a medium saucepan and boil on high until it reduces to 1/3 cup. (Stay with your apple cider!) Allow it to cool (it will solidify).
- Mix in 2/3 cup of cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and set aside. (You will have chunks of apple cider but don’t worry)
- Line a 2 quart pan with parchment paper leaving at least 1 inch all around and spray with cooking spray
- Measure 1/3 cup of cream and add enough water to reach 1/2 cup.
- In a large sauce pan (Large because the sugar will start to rise a bit around 220 F), add cream and water, sugar and corn syrup.
- Cook over low heat (stirring) until sugar dissolves and then simmer until the mixture becomes 234 F.
- Remove mixture from heat and whisk in cider cream mixture and cubed butter.
- Return to pan and heat on low until the caramel reaches 248 F
- Remove from heat and pour caramel into the prepared pan and allow mixture to cool completely
- Cut caramel into 1/2 inch squares and wrap individually with wax paper. (Store into air tight containers)
Ready for Gifting!
Samina Cooks 