Spiced Caramels

By Elizabeth LaBau

candy.about.com

(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Spiced Caramels have the flavors of cinnamon and cardamom infused into the traditional caramel elements of cooked sugar, vanilla, cream, and butter. The resulting caramels have a wonderfully aromatic flavor and a smooth, rich texture that's not too stiff and not too soft. You can use other whole spices, like allspice berries, nutmeg seeds, whole cloves, or star anise, to add different flavors to these caramels.

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp good-quality sea salt
• 5 green cardamom pods, coarsely crushed
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 4 tbsp butter, divided use
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Preparation:

1. Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place the cream, 2 tbsp of the butter, salt, vanilla, crushed cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and heat until the butter is melted and the cream simmers. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid, and set aside to infuse and keep warm while you caramelize the sugar.

3. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup and stir until combined. Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted. Wash down the sides with a candy thermometer to prevent sugar crystals from forming, and insert a candy thermometer.

4. Continue to cook, stirring very rarely, until the sugar reaches 330 degrees F (165 C). Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour the hot cream through a strainer into the sugar mixture, straining out the cardamom and cinnamon. Be careful during this step, as the caramel will splutter and boil quite a bit in the saucepan.

5. Stir until the mixture is smooth and all the cream is incorporated. Return the pan to the heat and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 250 F (121 C) for soft caramels, or 255 F (124 C) for firmer caramels.

6. Once the proper temperature has been reached, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of butter. Pour the candy into the prepared loaf pan and allow it to set at room temperature for several hours.

7. Once completely set, remove the caramels from the pan using the foil as handles. Invert the caramels on a cutting board and peel the foil off the back. Use a sharp, well-oiled knife to cut it into small squares. Wrap squares individually in waxed paper to prevent them from sticking together. Store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.