CHEWY CARAMELS

Steps:

• Lightly butter the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking pan.
• Line the pan with foil, pressing it evenly into the corners.
• Lightly butter the foil.
• Butter the sides of a heavy, 4-quart saucepan.
• Add the sugar, 1 cup of the heavy cream, the corn syrup, butter and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved completely, about 5 minutes.
• Bring the mixture to a boil and clip a candy thermometer to the pan.
• Continue cooking at a medium boil, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 242F, 25-30 minutes.
• Slowly pour in the remaining 1 cup cream, letting the mixture continue to boil; stir.
• Boil without stirring until the temperature reaches 246F, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from heat.
• Add the vanilla and stir just to blend.
• Pour the caramel into the prepared pan.
• Do not scrape any caramel left on the bottom of the saucepan into your prepared pan - enjoy that by yourself, you deserve it!
• Set the baking pan on a rack to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Invert the caramel slab onto a cutting board and peel off the foil.
• Using a sharp knife, score the caramel lengthwise into 9 strips and crosswise into 10.
• Cut through the slab.
• You will end up with 90 candies.
• Wrap each candy in cellophane and store at room temperature for up to 1 week, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 month.