Melissa's Cuisine: Apple Cider Caramels

Friday, December 07, 2012

Apple Cider Caramels


I love caramel in many forms, but especially in a piece of chewy candy that seems to just melt in your mouth.  I also love a hot cup of Apple Cider when the air turns cold!

I'd seen other Apple Cider Caramel recipes but they all involved reducing apple cider down to a syrup and using that for the flavor.  It seemed like a lot of work to me, so I thought I'd try using the Alpine Spiced Cider Apple Flavor Drink Mix instead.  It worked perfectly and the cider flavor really shines through these candies.



Apple Cider Caramels

Makes approximately 64 candies

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 vanilla bean pod, split and scraped
1-1/4 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
4 packages Alpine Spiced Cider Apple Flavor Drink Mix

1. Heavily butter the bottom and sides of an 8x8 pan.

2. Bring cream, butter, vanilla, vanilla beans, pod, and sea salt to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside. 

3.  Stir the cider packages into the cream until it's dissolved.

4. Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

5.  Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.

6. Remove vanilla pods and carefully stir cream mixture into the caramel (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248 on a candy thermometer.

7. Pour into baking pan and cool 30 minutes.

8. Sprinkle another pinch or two of sea salt over the top of the caramel for a nice salty crunch and let sit until completely cooled.

9. Cut into 1-inch pieces (I buttered a pizza cutter), and store in an airtight container or wrap in waxed paper (directions below).

To wrap caramels: cut waxed paper into 4" squares.  Carefully roll each caramel into a small log and place in the center of the waxed paper.  Wrap paper around the caramels and twist the ends to seal.

6 comments:

  1. These look divine!! You are really talented, can I come over for dinner:)

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  2. Those look really yummy! I need to get some vanilla beans, I see so many good recipes that use them.

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  3. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back real soon!
    Miz Helen

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  4. YUMMY! I seem to be addicted to all things caramel lately. I wanted to let you know that I will be featuring these this evening on Whatcha’ Whipped Up. Thanks for sharing and I hope to see you there again this week!

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  5. Hi! Just wanted to let you know this recipe is being featured in my Christmas round-up post. Thanks for linking to Tasteful Tuesdays at Nap-Time Creations. See you next year :o) This feature link will be live Friday morning US time.
    http://www.nap-timecreations.com/2012/12/25-amazing-things-to-make-eat-bake.html

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for reading my blog! I always look forward to reading your thoughts on my recipes!

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