Note: This recipe has been modified from when it was originally posted for greater user-friendliness, particularly in dissolving the sugar.
First of all, I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a wonderful holiday weekend! Aside from my little girl being sick, we had a great, laid-back week full of my husband being off work, shopping, great food, working on our house, movies, and enjoying the gorgeous Louisiana fall weather!
First, we’re so excited to announce the winner of our Silhouette giveaway! The winner is Tara who said, “My 4 boys love to craft and so do I. Woo hoo we could make some cool stuff with that baby! Thanks so much for your excellent blog and all of your fun giveaways!” Congrats, Tara! Please contact us within the next 48 hours to claim your goodies!
Speaking of goodies…how about a little Christmas candy to get you in the holiday mood? I’ve made caramels at Christmas (and only at Christmas because I love to wrap them about as much as I love a good root canal which, by the way, you might experience if you eat too many of these babies!) for a good 8 years now and I have my tried-and-true recipe, which I would share except for the fact that it is one of the new recipes included in our cookbook. Well, I got a stack of recipe cards from America’s Dairy Farmers and while I normally leaf through these kinds of recipes and either toss them or place them in a stack of stuff to try at some undetermined time, there were, like, three in this particular collection that I had to try ASAP. Like this one.
If you’re scared of making candy, caramels and peanut brittle are a great place to start because they’re very forgiving (don’t even get me started on toffee’s high-maintenance diva behavior). The main things you need are:
1) A heavy pot that is quite a bit larger than the contents of the recipe.
2) A reliable candy thermometer. The good news is that these are inexpensive; think a couple of bucks at Walmart or Target.
3) Lots of oven mitts. Just in case.
4) Patience and undivided attention. Candy-making is not the time to catch up on the life and times of Shiloh Pitt-Jolie.
This caramel recipe starts out like all the others: Sugar, whipping cream, butter, and corn syrup (which is NOT high fructose corn syrup before anyone accuses me of child abuse/mass murder/crimes against humanity). But then we add in apple cider (not alcoholic cider, for our friends not in the U.S.; just the high-quality, fresh-tasting, pressed apple juice) and awesome baking spices:
You really want that concentrated apple flavor, so first, place 2 cups of apple cider into a saucepan and boil it on high until it’s reduced to 1/3 of a cup. This will take about 20 minutes, give or take based on how big of a pan you use (the bigger, the faster). Oh, and your house will smell like an amazing little Christmas-y apple factory. This step can be done ahead of time if you’d like.
Combine the sugar, some water and whipping cream, and corn syrup in a large, heavy pot. Cook on low, stirring frequently, until the candy thermometer registers 234 degrees. In the meantime, cut the butter into cubes (you could just cut it into 8 tablespoons roughly along the markings on the wrapper) and set aside. Combine the whipping or heavy cream with the spices and reduced apple cider. If you taste it, don’t be horrified; it doesn’t taste great (or good at all. Let’s be honest.), but once you mix it with the sugar and butter, it is to die for. After it has cooled, of course. Please don’t fall victim to my foolish mistakes.
After the candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, remove the pan from heat and slowly stir in the whipping cream mixture and then add the chopped butter. Do this carefully (a long oven mitt wouldn’t be the stupidest idea here); the mixture may sputter a little. Return the pan to low heat and re-insert the candy thermometer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the thermometer reaches 248 degrees.
While the candy is cooking, line an 8×8″ square pan with parchment paper with the paper going up the sides and over the edges of the pan so the candy can be removed easily. Lightly spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
When the candy has cooked, carefully pour it into the prepared pan. Allow the caramels to cool completely on the counter or in the refrigerator.
When ready to cut, lift the edges of the parchment to remove the entire sheet of caramel. Cut the candy into 1/2″-thick strips
And then cut them again in the other direction, making a 1/2″-1/2″ candy. Of course, you can always cut these along different dimensions. I’m flexible like that.
Now comes the part I hate. Cut pieces of wax paper into squares or rectangles at least 3 1/2″-4″ on each side. Place a caramel in the center of each piece of wax paper…
and roll it up like a Tootsie Roll. Then twist each end. Like a Tootsie Roll.
It’s not so bad with the first few caramels. By the end, you will be willing your children to grow just a LITTLE bigger so they can help you wrap these stupid things. If only they weren’t so dang delicious. The caramels. Not your children.
These will stay good for a few weeks, especially if you refrigerate them in an air-tight container. They’re perfect for holiday gift giving and I guarantee you that you will get phone calls for how to make these if you send them to your neighbors/co-workers/child’s teacher.
Apple Cider Caramels
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from America’s Dairy Farmers
2 c. high-quality apple cider (like Simply Apple)
1 c. heavy cream or whipping cream, divided
1 tsp. ground cinnamon*
Pinch nutmeg*
1/4 tsp. allspice*
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. light corn syrup
1 stick (1/2 c.) real butter, cubed
*If you’d rather, you can use 1 tsp. apple pie or pumpkin pie spice + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon instead of the full teaspoon of cinnamon plus the nutmeg and allspice.
Pour cider into a medium saucepan and boil on high for about 20 minutes or until the cider is reduced to 1/3 c. (keep a glass or silicone measuring cup handy so you can pour it out and back in again if you need to). Set aside to cool.
Line an 8″ square pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave about 1″ hanging over the edges for easy removal. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a small bowl, combine 2/3 c. cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and reduced apple cider. Set aside.
In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/3 c. whipping cream + enough water to reach the 1/2 c. line on the measuring cup, and corn syrup. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Insert the candy thermometer and simmer until the syrup reaches 234 degrees.
Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture. Add the cubed butter and stir until the cream and butter are fully incorporated. Return the pan to heat and re-insert the candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 248 degrees.
Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Cut the caramels into 1/2″ squares and wrap each caramel in wax paper. Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Questions & Reviews
I’m so sad. After following the directions exactly, I’m left with what I believe would be referred to as “hard tack”. ?
I wish I would have read the comments first that referenced adjustments for altitude.
Just pulled out my cooled batch a caramels and they’re DELIGHTFUL! I was scared to try these because I live in Colorado Springs, and everything has to be adjusted for altitude. But, I did a little research, dropped the final temp to 236, and they turned out awesome! Thanks so much!!
For those making these at altitude, just remember to reduce the temp you simmer them to. Otherwise, you will find them a little harder than you’d like. 🙁 I’ll remember this for next time.
These are great! First caramel recipe I have ever been able to successfully complete!
I’m pressing 80lbs of apples into cider this week and I was HOPING such a thing as apple cider caramels existed. And YAY! Thank you for making my dreams come true. Is there any reason this recipe won’t work with fresh pressed, unpasturized apple cider? Thanks!!
These look delicious! How many does this recipe make approximatly. Every year I fill about 50 boxes full of treats for Christmas gifts and I thought these would be perfect to add in. Maybe 5 in each box so Im gonna need about 500 of these.
If you cut them into 1″ squares, you’ll get around 115. And if you put 5 in each box, you’ll need 250. 🙂
Make sure of cooking long enough at 250F! Mine turned out too soft.
Candy becomes hard at 250—so are they supposed to be hard or soft?
The temp for caramel is 250–the hard crack (or hard candy) temp is 300. My guess is either your thermometer is off (a VERY common problem; I’d say most home candy thermometers are off by at least a few degrees) or your elevation,
Ok- I made these and they were like hard candy. Where did I go wrong??
So many possibilities. Probably elevation or your candy thermometer could be off.
XD Second year making these for Christmas, and I completely forgot about a batch while watching Tangled, which I had never seen. (Way cute movie, btw!) Anyway, remembered about these a good 30 degrees over where they should have been, and though I was pretty sure they were going to be un-salvageable, poured them anyway. The hardened up to the point where I was able to shatter them like a glass candy, and they have a taste that’s similar to a brittle meets a Werther’s candy. So… my fail didn’t entirely fail! They still taste great, just in a completely different texture! I think I’ll try to get this consistency again, but make it a brittle with pecans or something in them.
what do you mean by “some water?”
i made these today and they turned out perfect. i used Julene’s (commenter #87) instructions, as i don’t have a candy thermometer. i added a pich of salt too. for this first time, i was not too concerned about the shape, so i didn’t make strips, just dumped the whole thing on a small pan and cut squares from that rectangle. i have a almost 4 year old and and almost 40 year old who loved them. i guess i will have to make them again. thank you for the recipe!
I made these this weekend for the first time. I did bump up the temp to medium-high to get it hot enough. They turned out great. My sister is having her c-section tomorrow and we are giving these to the nurses that are taking care of her. Plus your candy corn cookies too. Can’t wait to meet my neice tomorrow. We of course taste testes them and oh my goodness they are awesome. We will have a hard time giving them away. LOL
Made these last night for a Halloween party at work-NEW FAVORITE. The apple flavor is subtle at first, and then just completely wows you over. Thank you! 🙂
Well, I know it’s almost a year later, but for what it’s worth you most certainly can get apple cider in Canada. Try farmers’ markets or even the supermarket in the fall.
Do these actually have a caramel flavor? Usually in caramel making you bring the sugar up to 350F before adding in the fats (having cider in at this point is probably fine) to caramelize the sugars, which is an actual chemical change in the sugars that simple boring sugar into the heaven that is caramel. Then you add in butter/cream/milk and bring it back to 248F or whichever temperature you prefer for a particular consistency of caramel. My caramel consistency is best at 235, but that may just be my thermometer.
Yep, they do, and they’re fabulous!
Oh my yummy-ness. Just made them because I’m craving fall, and just used the “Experimenting for Christmas Gifts” excuse. 🙂 Heavenly! Thanks for sharing!
What altitude was your recipe created in? I know higher altitudes will make a difference in the temperatures you use. My thermometer is 8 degrees off most of my favorite candy recipes.
Almost sea level, so it may need to cook to a slightly higher temperature.
I know this post is almost a year old…but wandered over because I have heard awesome things about these caramels. I noticed that you made mention of Toffee’s diva like behavior…just wanted to pass along this link to a toffee recipe that I found a while ago – it has never failed me – and it tastes like Skor toffee. SCORE. LOL. The awesome thing about this recipe is it was done by an engineer – so it has lots of details, as well as giving you reasons for “why” you have do to what you have to do to make it work. http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/159/English-Toffee