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Homemade Caramel

Homemade Caramel

A smooth, buttery, sweet caramel with a wonderful vanilla flavor.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword candy, Caramels, Christmas, holiday, Homemade Candy
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 36 pieces
Author Sweeter With Sugar

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 pound butter (2 squares) cold but not frozen
  • 1 3/4 cup corn syrup
  • 12 ounces half and half
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside.

  2. In a large, heavy-bottom sauce pan, bring sugar, butter, corn syrup, and half and half to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir constantly-scraping the bottom of the pan. When candy thermometer reads 210° Turn heat down to medium.

  3. Continue cooking (boiling) and stirring constantly, scraping the bottom. (Use your eyes and nose, if it looks or smells at all like it's burning, turn down the heat a little-stoves vary).

  4. When your candy thermometer reads 234-240° (soft ball stage), remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. (I like my caramel soft so I remove it at 235)

  5. Pour caramel into prepared 9 x 13 pan. Be careful-caramel is SO HOT.

  6. Allow time to cool. Cut into desired pieces and wrap in cellophane candy wrappers or waxed paper.

  7. Enjoy!