Egg-Nog Caramels
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Surprise friends and family with the perfect holiday twist to the traditional caramel. (adapted from Mark Bittman's Caramels from How To Cook Everything)
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons salted Butter (plus a little extra to grease your pan)
  • 1.5 cups Egg-Nog
  • 2 cups Cane Sugar
  • ½ cup Honey*
Instructions
  1. Use the extra butter to grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, combine all ingredients. Clip a candy thermometer** to the pan and turn the heat to medium-low. Stir constantly, cooking until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Continue to cook, allowing the mixture to reach a soft boil (you may have to adjust the heat temps periodically to maintain a low/soft boil). Stir occasionally until the mixture temp reaches 245 degrees and the caramel is dark golden brown in color.
  4. Remove from heat and pour into the prepared pan.
  5. When the mixture has cooled down to room temperature, use a sharp knife to cut the caramel into small squares.
  6. Wrap each square in waxed paper or plastic wrap.
  7. These keep for weeks, but are best eaten fresh.
Notes
*Honey will impact the overall flavor of your caramel, depending on how strongly flavored your honey is. If you want more of the Egg-Nog flavor to come through, you can either use a very light, wildflower honey or use Corn Syrup (like Karo) instead of honey. (Corn Syrup will also result in a smoother caramel)
** A candy thermometer is the most accurate way to evaluate the temperatures but if you don't have one, you can test the candy by dropping a small piece of the caramel mixture into a glass of cold water. If it has reached the desired temp (245-250 degrees Fahrenheit), the mixture will come together in the water and you'll be able to shape a soft ball of caramel. If you pull it too soon, the candy just dissolves into small particles in the water; pull it too late, and not only do you risk burning the caramel, but you'll have glass-hard candy.
Recipe by Following In My Shoes at https://followinginmyshoes.com/my-recipes/desserts-and-treats/egg-nog-caramels/