Spiced Apple Caramels
When you bite into these soft, chewy treats, you immediately taste the sweetness of spiced apple cider, followed by the luxurious flavor of butter.
Yield: about 75 caramels
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice*
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cubed
- Freshly ground cinnamon or course sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Pour cider into small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to 1/3 cup; approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Line an 8 inch square pan with buttered parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- In small bowl, combine heavy cream, salt, apple pie spice, cinnamon and reduced cider; set aside.
- In large, heavy bottom saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Cook over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Insert candy thermometer and simmer until syrup reaches 234 degrees F.
- Remove from heat, remove thermometer and very slowly whisk in cream mixture (mixture will foam and may spatter). Add cubed butter and stir or whisk until cream and butter are fully incorporated. Return pan to heat, reinsert thermometer and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until temperature reaches 250 degrees F.
- Remove from heat and pour caramel into prepared pan; let mixture cool slightly, then sprinkle with freshly ground cinnamon or sea salt, if desired.
- Cool completely at room temperature or refrigerate until set.
- Once set, remove caramel from pan lifting out by parchment paper or foil. Cut caramel into 3/4-inch squares. Wrap each piece in small wax paper square, twisting at each end.
- Store caramels in airtight container in cool place or refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
- To recreate the packaging for the Spiced Apple Caramels, find some festive paper at a craft or scrapbook store, roll it into a cone shape, then tape it shut at the seam. Add ribbon or other decorations and then fill the cone with candies.
Notes
* If you cannot find apple pie spice, substitute 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon allspice.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from: Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin
