Cream Caramels

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

I LOVE old cookbooks and recipes. Since I'm still a schoolmarm I have
access to several oldies in our school library. One of them is "The Holiday
Candy Book" by Virginia Pasley, 1952, Little, Brown & Co. It has some
delightful basics for candy-making in any season. I'm quoting the recipes
from the book so that you get the full "flavor" of the recipe and cooking
style. I wonder, what are some of the oldest actual cookbooks some of our
members have in their collection. (date-subject?)
Measure sugar and corn syrup into a 4 qt. saucepan. Blend with a wooden
spoon, and place over low heat, stirring continuously until the thick
mixture begins to dissolve. Continue stirring until the mixture boils, then
put in your candy thermometer and boil without stirring over a high flame
until the thermometer registers 305 degrees. Have ready the butter which
has been broken into small pieces and the cream which has been warmed.
Remove the candy from the stove for only a moment, put in the first bit of
butter, return the pan to the stove and continue cooking, stirring well and
adding bits of butter. The mixture will bubble up and steam. Add cream
slowly, never allowing the candy to stop boiling hard and continuing to
stir vigorously so that it will not stick or burn. Continue cooking until
the thermometer registers 246 to 250 degrees, depending on how hard you
wish the caramels to be. This whole process should not take more than 30
minutes and will usually take less if the heat is kept high enough. When
the desired degree is reached remove the pan from the stove immediately.
Let stand 5 minutes, add salt and vanilla. Stir only enough to blend, then
pour into a lightly greased pan--8 by 11 inches is a good size--and allow
to cool for several hours. Turn out of the pan, cut into squares or oblongs
with a heavy knife, wrap in waxed paper or moisture proof cellophane and
store in a tin box. Caramels keep well for weeks in a cool place if they
are not exposed to other types of candy.
CHOCOLATE CREAM CARAMELS: Follow recipe for cream caramels, only decrease
the butter to 2 tablespoons and after the caramels are cooked stir in
immediately 2 squares of melted bitter chocolate.
NUT CREAM CARAMELS: Let either cream caramels or chocolate cream caramels
stand an extra 5 minutes after the vanilla is added and then stir in gently
1/2 to 1 cup of coarsely broken nutmeats--pecans, walnuts, black walnuts,
brazil nuts or toasted blanched almonds.
  CARAMEL PECAN TURTLES:
1/2    pound pecans 1 pound sweet or semisweet chocolate
Make 1 recipe of cream caramels, cooking the final mixture to 246 degrees.
Place 1/2 pound pecan meats in little circles of 3 to 4 pecans on large
greased cookie sheets. When the caramel has cooled for 10 minutes drop by
spoonfuls on the circle of pecans. If you have one, you can use a metal
funnel and wooden stick, only be sure to heat and oil both the funnel and
stick. Pour the caramel into the funnel and push circlets of caramel out
with the stick. Put cookie sheets into the refrigerator to cool for about
15 minutes. Meanwhile melt 1 pound sweet or semisweet chocolate over hot
(not boiling) water, stirring and beating while melting it. Remove from
water before chocolate is completely melted and continue beating until
chocolate is all melted and has begun to cool. When it is just cool to the
touch drop the caramel turtles into the chocolate, pick up with fingers or
fork and set on waxed paper to cool. Or dip turtle only halfway into
chocolate.
Posted to KitMailbox Digest  by Hallie <buddy@connect.ab.ca> on Jan 18,
1998

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