Salted Apple Cider Caramels

I don't know a lot of people that dislike caramels or caramel sauce...especially this time of year. What better way to have caramels than with a fall, apple spice flavor? This recipe makes about 64 caramels:

Photo byBroma

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 Tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted*
• 1/2 cup boiled cider
• 2 Tablespoons apple brandy, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice*

To start, lightly grease an 8" x 8" baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on two opposite sides for easy removal later.

In a 4-quart, heavy-bottom, deep saucepan, combine the cream, corn syrup, sugar, butter, boiled cider, and apple brandy. Heat the mixture over high heat, stirring to ensure the sugar dissolves completely. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-high and continue cooking without stirring until the mixture reaches 248°F on a candy thermometer. (For softer caramels, you might be around 245 F. This will also depend on your elevation). This should take between 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your stove.

Once it reaches the desired temperature, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt and apple pie spice. Carefully pour the hot caramel mixture into the prepared baking pan and let it sit undisturbed at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours to fully set.

When ready, cut the caramel into 1" squares. To wrap each caramel, cut 6" squares of parchment paper. Place one caramel in the center of each square, fold the opposite edges of the parchment over the caramel, and twist the ends to seal.

Enjoy!

*Notes:

For perfect "salty caramels": About 20 minutes after pouring the hot caramel into the pan, sprinkle large-grain or moderately coarse sea salt evenly across the surface. This allows the salt to subtly dissolve into the caramel as it sets, enhancing the sweet and salty balance without being overly visible. The result will be a rich caramel with delightful bursts of saltiness in every bite.

If you will be making salted caramels, use unsalted butter.

If you do not have apple pie spice, sub: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice instead.