Molasses Caramels Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED MOLASSES CANDY

Steps:

• Grease a 15x10x1-in. pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar. Cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium; cook until a candy thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage), stirring occasionally. , Add molasses and remaining butter. Cook, uncovered, until a candy thermometer reads 260° (hard-ball stage), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add baking soda; beat well., Pour into prepared pan. Let stand for 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Butter fingers; quickly pull candy until firm by pliable (color will be light tan). When candy is ready for cutting, pull into a 1/2-in. rope. Cut into 1-in. pieces. Wrap each in waxed paper or colored candy wrappers.

OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES TAFFY

Steps:

• Lightly grease a baking sheet. Bring the sugar, molasses, water, and vinegar to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the sugar has reached the hard ball stage, 250 to 265 degrees F (121 to 129 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball.
• Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter and baking soda. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and allow to cool until cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once cool enough to handle, fold the taffy in half, then pull to double its original length. Continue folding and pulling until the taffy has turned golden brown, and is too stiff to pull anymore. Cut the taffy into bite sized pieces, and wrap in waxed paper. Store in an airtight container.

CHEWY CARAMEL

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Cook for 2 minutes at that temperature. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
• Meanwhile, butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. When the caramel is ready, pour into the buttered pan. Allow to cool completely at room temperature. Remove from the pan and cut into squares using scissors. Wrap individual pieces in waxed paper or cellophane.

MOLASSES TAFFY

Steps:

• Place the molasses in a heavy aluminum saucepan or unlined copper saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Boil until the molasses reaches the hard-ball stage on a candy thermometer (250 to 266 degrees.) Remove it from the stove and add the butter and vanilla, stirring to mix them in. Pour the candy out onto a well greased piece of confectioner's marble or a well-greased heavy platter or baking sheet and allow it to stand until the candy begins to get hard around the edges. Moisten your hands with ice water. Take a 1/2 cup size ball of taffy into both hands and pull it back and forth until the taffy changes color and becomes golden. When the taffy begins to harden, twist it or braid it into sticks, tie it into knots, or shape it as desired.

MOLASSES CARAMELS

Steps:

• Prepare a 9-inch square pan: line with foil and use an additional teaspoon of soft butter to 'grease' thoroughly.
• Combine molasses, butter and sugar in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cover and continue to cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes to wash down sugar crystals from sides of pan. Uncover and cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches hard ball stage (260°). If you don't have a candy thermometer, drop a small amount into a cup of cold water. If it doesn't immediately harden, continue cooking and test again.
• Stir in one teaspoon of vanilla.
• Remove from heat, and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture is creamy and begins to thicken. Working rapidly, spread mixture in a buttered 8- inch square pan.
• Mark top of warm candy into 1-inch squares, using a sharp knife. Cool completely before cutting into squares. Wrap each piece tightly in waxed paper, twisting ends, or wrap in plastic wrap.

OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES "CARAMEL" CORN

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 250 deg.
• Place butter in a medium pot, on medium heat.
• While the butter's melting, pop the corn and put it in a large roasting pan. I used a disposable aluminum pan and a hot air popper (you won't need to butter the pan).
• Keep an eye on the butter and add the sugar, molasses, and salt to it as soon as its melted.
• Bring the candy to a boil and stir and cook it only till the sugar melts and the butter blends in entirely - just a couple minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir the vanilla and peanuts into the candy.
• Quickly add the baking soda and stir untill it's well mixed. It foams to make a lighter, more delicate candy.
• Pour the candy over the popcorn and toss untill it's evenly coated.
• Put the popcorn in the oven for 1 hour, tossing every 15 or 20 minutes.
• Let it cool completely before breaking up and putting into an airtight container.
• I developed this recipe by hacking others because I couldn't find another to suit me. I made this for Christmas treats and it was INHALED, you'll find it tastes like Cracker Jack; that candy is made with molasses, not corn syrup, I got a box yersterday to compare.
• You can easily double this, but double the baking time too.

CHEWY MOLASSES SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 4 minutes. With mixer on medium, add molasses and egg whites and beat until combined. With mixer on low, add flour mixture and beat until combined.
• Transfer batter to dish and smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely in dish on a wire rack. Invert cake onto a cutting board and cut into 1 1/2-inch squares. To serve, toss in confectioners' sugar to coat.

CARAMEL-MOLASSES PECAN LOGS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with a piece of plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Set baking pan aside.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, molasses, butter, and heavy cream in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer registers 250 degrees, about 12 minutes. Pour caramel into prepared pan; freeze until cool and set, about 1 hour.
• Invert pan of caramel onto a cutting board, and pop out the caramel; remove plastic. Cut the square into six equal sticks.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place chopped pecans on a piece of parchment. Roll each stick in the nuts, forming a log and coating completely. Place logs on baking sheet, and transfer to the refrigerator.
• Place the chopped chocolate and the shortening in the top of a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir mixture until melted, and remove from heat. Remove logs from refrigerator.
• Using a pastry brush, coat each log with a layer of chocolate, and return to baking sheet. Chill until chocolate has set, about 15 minutes. Keep remaining chocolate melted.
• Pour remaining chocolate into a 4 1/2 by 9-inch loaf pan. Roll logs in chocolate, one at a time, coating completely. Return logs to baking sheet, and refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes more.
• To make petits fours, slice each log into 24 1/3-inch-thick slices; place in petit-four cups, and serve immediately.