The Wiehn Family Blog

Each year for Christmas I make the kids’ teachers caramels.  Homemade caramels.  I almost didn’t this year, but I ended up making three batches (5 teachers for three children).  But the happiness of seeing the caramels go out the door is all the thanks I need!

Got some free time on your hands?  Wanna try making caramels yourself?  Here you go!

This recipe comes from the free Hy-Vee Seasons book from a few years ago.

Start with a cup of butter.

Melt said better.

Measure out 2 1/2 cups of brown sugar.

Mix melted butter and brown sugar together.

Grab some light corn syrup.  I got mine from Target (shocking I know).

Measure out 1 cup.  And if you have one of these absolutely amazing, wonderful, magical measuring cups that you can push it all out, I highly recommend using it.  If you don’t have one, call a Pampered Chef consultant today and get one!  I use it all the time.  Although I’m sure you don’t have to go through Pamper Chef, if you don’t want to.

Pour in the corn syrup and mix.

Add a dash of salt.

Grab a can of sweeten condensed milk.  If you are the Pioneer Woman or if you just like the taste, feel free to have a little taste at this point.

Poor the sweetened condensed milk in slowly while stirring.

Cook until caramel reaches the firm ball stage or 245 degrees.  A candy thermometer is recommended, but a meat thermometer will work in a pinch!

Butter a pan.  The recipe calls for a 9×13 in pan, I like to make them a little thinner so I used a jelly roll pan.

Prepare yourself for the vanilla.

Take caramel off the heat.  Pour in 1 tsp (or if you are me, eyeball it).

Stir vanilla in.

Pour mix into buttered pan.

This this the hardest part.  Wait, wait, wait, and wait some more for the caramels to cool and set.

Hire a sous chef to help with the caramel wrapping.

Why stop at one?  Hire a second sous chef in a Princess gown.

And if you get really, really adventurous, hire a third sous chef just to make life more interesting.

Wrap in beautiful foil (bought at Micheal’s in you happen to need to look for some).  Plop in a cute little box.  Send off to school with your children and enjoy your free time!

Notes from the Master:

1.  Waiting for caramel to set is really hard for a three year old.  Please remove any and all tempting add-in ingredients, such as, say,  pepper, from the area nearest the three year old.  Caramels with pepper are not that great!

2.  Hiring sous chefs is a tricky business.  Beware that some of the cutest sous chefs will attempt to make off with a few pieces of caramel.  Although you can count that as payment in full if you would like!

3.  You will get a little sticky.  Sorry, caramels are sticky.

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Homemade Caramels

1 cup butter

2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1 dash salt

1 cup light corn syrup

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

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1.  Melt butter; add brown sugar and salt.  Mix well; stir in light corn syrup.  Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.

2.  Cook and stir over medium heat until candy reaches firm-ball stage (245 degrees), approx. 12 to 15 minutes.

3.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Pour into buttered 9×13 in pan.  Cool and cut.

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Happy Holidays from our home to yours!