Homemade Caramel Recipe

Once you've tasted this homemade caramel recipe you'll wonder what you ever saw in store-bought caramels in the first place.

These sweet treats are easy to make and they're great for parties, for desserts, for kids or just as a treat when you feel like something sweet.


Dress up your homemade caramel recipe with some fancy wax paper wrapping and you could even present them to friends and family as homemade sweet gifts.


There are several versions and variations of the homemade caramel candy recipe for you to try below.

Homemade Vanilla Caramels

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Before you begin this homemade caramel recipe, lightly grease a shallow pan. Put the pan to one side while you cook your caramel.



2. Mix milk, condensed milk, corn syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Cook slowly over a low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Use a confectionery thermometer and keep an eye on the temperature. You'll need to heat your caramel mixture until it reaches 248F (120C). You can test if your caramel is ready by dropping a small droplet of the mixture into a glass of cold water. If the caramel forms a firm ball in cold water, it's ready.



3. Remove your caramel mixture from the heat and stir in the butter, salt and vanilla. Mix the caramel well until all ingredients are combined.



4. Pour the caramel into your lightly greased pan so you have an even layer of mixture across the base of the pan. Leave aside to cool until the caramel is completely cold. When it's cooled, cut your caramel into cubes and wrap each caramel in a piece of wax paper.

 

Homemade Chocolate Caramels

You'll love the taste of these rich chocolate caramels. They're so easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup condensed milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 3 oz (85g) unsweetened chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 tablespoon salt

1. Prepare a 9 inch (22cm) baking pan by lining it with aluminium foil and then spray it with non-stick cooking spray.



2. In a large saucepan, heat the corn syrup, sugar, milk, cream and butter over a low heat. Remember to stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved.



3. Use a confectioner's thermometer to heat the mixture to 225F (107C) and then add chopped pieces of the chocolate. Heat the caramel until it reaches 245F (118C) and then remove it from the heat.



4. Stir in the vanilla and salt and then pour your caramel into the pan. Leave the pan aside to cool overnight. When the caramel has set, cut it into cubes and wrap the pieces individually in wax paper. Store in an air tight container.

Licorice Caramel Chews

You'll love these black licorice caramel treats. They have the same lovely creamy caramel texture as regular caramels, but they also have the subtle aniseed smell and taste. You can add more or less anise extract to suit your own tastes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 tin sweetened condensed milk (14 oz or 400 ml)
• Pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon anise extract
• 1/2 teaspoon black food coloring paste

1. Prepare a 9 inch (22 cm) pan with aluminium foil and spray it lightly with non-stick cooking spray.



2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat. Stir in the condensed milk, sugar, corn syrup and salt and stir the mixture until ingredients are well combined.



3. Bring the caramel to the boil remembering to stir the mixture often. Use a confectioner's thermometer and raise the temperature of your caramel to 240F (115C) if you want chewy caramels or up to 248F (120C) if you like your caramels a little firmer.



4. Once the mixture reaches the temperature you desire, remove it from the heat and stir in the anise extract and food coloring. Combine well until all ingredients are well blended and color becomes uniform throughout entire mixture.



5. Pour your caramel into the pan you prepared earlier and leave to cool. Once it's cooled, cut into cubes and wrap your caramel pieces in wax paper.

We hope you enjoyed our homemade caramel recipe. Please feel free to share your deserts and homemade cake recipes here. we'd love to hear from you.