Best Soft Caramels Recipes

CREAMY SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the sugars, salt and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in corn syrup; return to a boil. Remove from the heat; slowly stir in milk. , Cook and stir over medium-low heat until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan; cut into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper.

SOFT 'N' CHEWY CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 13x9-in. pan with foil; grease foil with 2 teaspoons butter. Cube remaining butter. In a Dutch oven, combine sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in remaining cream. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 250° (hard-ball stage), stirring frequently. Remove from the heat; stir in cubed butter and vanilla until well mixed, about 5 minutes. , Pour into prepared pan. Cool. Remove foil from pan; cut candy into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

SOFT RUM CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 8-in. square pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside. In a small bowl, cream remaining butter until light and fluffy. Beat in cream until smooth; set aside. , In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until a candy thermometer reads 244° (firm-ball stage). Gradually add cream mixture. Continue cooking until a candy thermometer reads 242°. Remove from the heat; stir in extract. , Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape sides of saucepan). Cool completely. Invert pan onto cutting board; remove foil. Cut candy into squares. Wrap individually in cellophane, waxed paper or foil; twist ends. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

SOFT & CHEWY CARAMELS WITH SEA SALT

Steps:

• 1. Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil; butter the foil. Set aside. In a Dutch oven, combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Slowly stir in remaining cream. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 250° (hard-ball stage), stirring frequently. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla until well mixed, about 5 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Cool. Remove foil from pan; cut candy into 1-in. squares. Sprinkle each with a little coarse sea salt, just a few grains (6-8). Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

SALTED SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Arrange 30 paper or foil candy cups on a baking sheet. Spritz each cup with cooking spray; set aside. In a small heavy saucepan, bring the cream, butter and salt to a boil; keep warm., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup; cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil; cook, without stirring, until mixture turns a golden amber color, about 4 minutes., Gradually stir in the cream mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 247°., Remove from the heat. Pour into prepared liners (do not scrape saucepan). Sprinkle with salt. Let stand until firm, about 2 hours.

SOFT CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, stir the sugar and corn syrup together until the sugar is completely moistened. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until it turns a very light caramel color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and very slowly pour the cream into the hot sugar (be careful-it will bubble up) and stir to combine. Return the mixture to medium-low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer inserted in the pot reads 238 degrees F, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter until smooth. Pour the mixture into a greased 8-by-8 inch square baking dish. Allow to cool completely (at least 2 hours) before cutting into 1-inch squares.
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.
• From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make at Home, by Jacques Torres.

HOMEMADE SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• 1. Combine corn syrup, brown sugar, milk and butter in a saucepan.
• 2. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
• 3. Cook for 20 Minutes stirring constantly. Pour into buttered oblong pan.
• 4. Cut into squares when cool. Enjoy delicious homemade caramels!

AUNT EMILY'S SOFT CARAMELS RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Butter a 13x9-inch pan; set aside. Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil, about 15 to 20 minutes. Continue cooking, until candy thermometer reaches 244°F, or small amount of mixture dropped into ice water forms a firm ball, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Cool completely. Cut into 1 1/2x1-inch pieces; wrap candies in plastic food wrap. Store refrigerated.

SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Heat sugar, syrup, & salt to boil in a VERY large stew pot (non-stick pot with no flaking is best). Please note that if you plan on doubling this recipe, you need to use a commercial size stew pot because the ingredients double in size as the temperature rises. Add cream VERY slowly. Cook stirring almost constantly to 239°F (or until you get just to the point where a little drizzle of cooled caramel gently rubbed between 2 fingers forms into a ball). This takes approximately 3-5 hours. Let cool a few minutes to help prevent sticking to the cookie sheets. Add nuts now if desired. Pour onto 3-4 buttered cookie sheets (cookie sheets should be buttered lightly so as not to end up with greasy caramels). Once cooled completely, flip cookie sheets over to release sheets of caramel (you may have to use a metal spatula to pull the sheet of caramel out of the cookie sheet). Use pizza cutter (if you have cooked them perfectly) or scissors (if you have slightly overcooked them to a stick-to-your-teeth texture) to cut into bite-size pieces. Each piece can now be dipped in chocolate or wrapped "as is" in small squares of wax paper (or candy wrappers).
• Note: This recipe also works great for caramel sauce -- just don't quite heat it to 239°F Hard toffee candies can be made if you heat it above 239°F Therefore, even if you mess up on your attempts to make SOFT caramels, you have SOMETHING left over for your efforts.

SOFT CHEWY CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with 1 tablespoon butter. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining butter. Add the brown sugar, milk and corn syrup. Cook and stir until candy thermometer reads 250° (hard-ball stage). , Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool completely before cutting.

SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• 1. Prepare a 9x9 pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. 2. Combine the cream and condensed milk in a small saucepan, and place the saucepan on a burner set to the lowest heat setting. You want the milk and cream to be warm, but do not allow it to boil. 3. In a medium-large saucepan combine the corn syrup, water, and granulated sugar over medium-high heat. Stir the candy until the sugar dissolves, then use a wet pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pan to prevent sugar crystals from forming and making the candy grainy. 4. Insert a candy thermometer and reduce the heat to medium. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and cook until the thermometer reads 250 degrees. 5. Add the softened butter chunks and the warm milk-cream mixture. The temperature should go down about 30 degrees. 6. Continue to cook the caramel, stirring constantly so that the bottom does not scorch. Cook it until the thermometer reads 244, and the caramel is a beautiful dark golden brown. 7. Remove the caramel from the heat and immediately pour it into the prepared pan. Do not scrape candy from the bottom of the saucepan. Allow the candy to sit overnight to set up and develop a smooth, silky texture. 8. When you are ready to cut the caramel, place a piece of waxed paper on the counter and lift the caramel from the pan using the foil as handles. Flip the top of the caramel onto the waxed paper and peel the foil layer from the bottom of the caramel. 9. Spray a large knife with nonstick cooking spray. Firmly cut into the caramels, creating 1" squares. Wipe the blade and re-spray as necessary. 10. Wrap the squares in waxed paper. The caramels will gradually spread and lose their square shape if not wrapped soon after cutting. Alternately, you can dip them in chocolate once they are cut. 11. Store the caramels at room temperature for up to two weeks.

SOFT-AND-CHEWY CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.
• Generously coat foil with cooking spray; set aside.
• Melt 1 cup butter in a 3-quart sauce-pan over low heat.
• Stir in brown sugar, condensed milk, and corn syrup until smooth.
• Bring mixture to a boil.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until a candy thermometer registers 235°.
• Remove mixture from heat; stir by hand 1 minute or until mixture is smooth and no longer bubbling.
• Quickly pour mixture into prepared pan; let stand 3 hours or until cool.
• Note: cook time does not include 3 hour cooling time.
• Lift foil and caramel out of pan.
• Cut caramels into 1-inch pieces with a buttered knife.
• Wrap each piece with plastic wrap.

FAT FREE SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Lightly spray an 8 x 8-inch pan with non stick butter or regular cooking spray and set aside.
• In a medium sized heavy bottomed sauce pan combine sugar with corn syrup, butter flavoring and condensed milk. Stir mixture over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook stirring frequently until mixture reaches 234 to 238 degrees on candy thermometer. (soft ball stage) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pour immediately into prepared pan.
• Cool to lukewarm and mark in 1-inch squares using a knife sprayed with cooking spray.
• Spray a teaspoon lightly with cooking spray and scoop 1 heaping teaspoon of caramel onto a 4 x 5-inch square of waxed candy papers. Roll paper jellyroll fashion and twist ends to seal. Store in a cool dark place for several weeks.

SOFT CANDY CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch glass square baking pan/dish with foil extending the foil over the edges of the pan.
• Generously coat the foil with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a heavy 3-quart saucepan melt 1 cup butter over low heat.
• Stir in brown sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup and maple syrup; bring to a bowl stirring gently.
• Cook over medium heat stirring often until a candy thermometer reaches 235 degrees (or for a firmer caramel cook to 240 degrees F).
• As soon ar the temperature reaches 235 or 240 degrees immediately remove from heat, and stir for 1 minute or until the mixture is smooth and no longer bubbling.
• Quickly pour the mixture into prepared pan.
• Allow to stand for 3 hours or until cool.
• Lifting the foil at the edges of the pan remove the caramel square out of the pan.
• Using a buttered knife cut into 1-inch squares.
• If desired wrap each piece with coloured plastic wrap.

AUNT EMILY'S SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Butter a 13x9-inch pan; set aside. Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil (15 to 20 minutes).
• Continue cooking, until candy thermometer reaches 244°F. or small amount of mixture dropped into ice water forms a firm ball (about 25 to 30 minutes).
• Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Cool completely. Cut into 1 1/2x1-inch pieces; wrap candies in plastic food wrap. Store refrigerated.