Grandma’s Perfect Caramels

Soft, chewy, and melt in your mouth caramel is the perfect candy to set out for guests or gift-giving. With only a few staple ingredients and a little bit of time, homemade candy has never been easier.

Grandma’s Perfect Caramels

Grandma would never consider using a microwave for her caramels, and she was known across the county for how perfect hers were every time! When she shared her recipe (with me by her side) she would often use the “water” method where she would drop some hot caramel into the water and see how it would react. Over time she could simply look at the hot sugar and know, but it sure was a treat learning her wisdom by her side!

How to Make Perfect Caramels

One of the biggest questions I get from people is how to get the perfect soft caramel. It all boils down to (no pun intended) achieving the soft ball stage during the cooking.  As sugar syrup is cooked and the temperature rises, the water begins to boil down and the sugar concentration increases.   At 240˚ Fahrenheit, the caramels are at the “soft ball” stage.  That means if you drop a small bit of the candy into cold water it will form a soft ball.  If you don’t have a candy thermometer, this cold water test can be used to see if your candies are ready.

Caramel Temperatures

It’s helpful when making candy for the first time to understand how quickly the structure of the candy changes based on the temperature achieved during boiling.  The following chart should help you if this is your first time making candy.

Thread Stage

230˚-235˚ -at this stage you will get a syrup consistency possibly something you could pour over ice cream.

Soft-Ball Stage

235˚-240˚ – Dropped into cold water, this will have the consistency of a soft flexible ball.  This stage is perfect for caramels or fudge.

Firm- Ball Stage

245˚-250˚ – Dropped into cold water this will have the consistency of a firm but, still slightly flexible ball.  This is also a good stage for caramels if you like them a little firmer.

Hard-Ball Stage

250˚-265˚ – Dropped into cold water this will have the consistency of a hard ball.  This is a good stage for rock candy or gummies.

Soft-Crack Stage

270˚-290˚ – Bubbles on top will become smaller, thicker and closer together.  Most of the moisture has cooked out at this stage.  Dropped into cold water, it will solidify into threads that will slightly bend and then break.  This is a good stage for saltwater taffy.

Hard-Crack Stage

300˚-310˚ – Dropped into cold water, this will form hard brittle threads that break when bent. This is best for toffee.

Tips for Old Fashioned Caramel

• You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe.  If you don’t have one, you can order this one on Amazon.
• Individually wrapping these in wax paper helps to keep the fingers from getting too sticky:)
• These tend to get a little gooey if you leave them in a hot place.  Make sure to store them at a cooler temperature so they don’t melt!
• Dip these in dark chocolate and cover them in sea salt for an extra special treat!

5 from 3 votes

Grandma’s Caramels

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Soft, chewy, and melt in your mouth caramel is the perfect candy to set out for guests or gift giving. With only a few staple ingredients and a little bit of time, homemade candy has never been easier.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup corn syrup
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and ¼ cup of cream.
• Bring to a boil, stirring continuously.
• While continuing to stir, add the remaining cream. Insert a candy thermometer and while constantly stirring, bring to the soft ball stage. Around 240°F, the sugar syrup will turn transparent and boil rapidly.
• When it hits 240°F, remove caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour into the prepared baking pan.
• While still warm, use a toothpick to pop any air bubbles that rise to the top. Allow cooling overnight.
• Use a thin knife or small offset spatula to loosen the caramel block from the pan. Transfer the block to a cutting board and cut into desired size and shape. Wrap individually in wax paper if desired.

Video

Course: Dessert

Keyword: Grandma’s Caramels

Servings: 60 caramels

Author: Amanda Rettke

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