The most delicious caramels on earth
When we were growing up, we spent many Christmas Eves with my friend Amy and her family. We took turns going to each family's home for dinner. When my parents were the hosts, we always had fondue with beef and venison steaks. I remember thinking what an exciting and fancy meal it was, to have a leisurely dinner with friends and cook your own meal right at the table. Other than being able to share the evening with my best friend and her family, the other big bonus was that we always knew that Amy's mom Peggy would bring us some of her delicious caramels.
About eight years ago I called Peggy and asked if she would share her recipe. I bought all the ingredients and set to work making the caramels. Since I'm more of a "loose follower" of recipes, I figured that I could just estimate the temperature of the sauce and everything would turn out fine. Peggy's always did. But, as a fairly inexperienced cook at that point, I didn't realize that while a person could "interpret" many savory dishes and they'd turn out fine, baked goods and candies require that the cook follow the recipe to the letter. My first attempt was delicious...as a caramel sauce. It never hardened properly and turned into a massive gooey mess.
Last year I called Peggy back, having lost the recipe she originally gave me. I told her about my first experience and assured her that I'd matured and was now the proud owner of a candy thermometer. I tried the recipe again and this time it turned out beautifully. "They're just like Peggy's" my dad said. And that's about as good of a compliment as one can get.
I hope she doesn't mind, but I think Peggy's caramel recipe ought to be shared. It is delicious, decadent, and makes a fantastic gift when going to someone's home over the holidays. Try it, but only if you're willing to invest in a candy thermometer. Otherwise, you might want to track Peggy down and invite her over for dinner.
Starlight, Jennie Nelson 2006
(This is what happens when trying to learn Corel Painter and you can't get anything to turn out the way it looks in your mind. You draw lines, then play with the fill tool like a kid who just cracked open a fresh box of 64 Crayola's.)
About eight years ago I called Peggy and asked if she would share her recipe. I bought all the ingredients and set to work making the caramels. Since I'm more of a "loose follower" of recipes, I figured that I could just estimate the temperature of the sauce and everything would turn out fine. Peggy's always did. But, as a fairly inexperienced cook at that point, I didn't realize that while a person could "interpret" many savory dishes and they'd turn out fine, baked goods and candies require that the cook follow the recipe to the letter. My first attempt was delicious...as a caramel sauce. It never hardened properly and turned into a massive gooey mess.
Last year I called Peggy back, having lost the recipe she originally gave me. I told her about my first experience and assured her that I'd matured and was now the proud owner of a candy thermometer. I tried the recipe again and this time it turned out beautifully. "They're just like Peggy's" my dad said. And that's about as good of a compliment as one can get.
I hope she doesn't mind, but I think Peggy's caramel recipe ought to be shared. It is delicious, decadent, and makes a fantastic gift when going to someone's home over the holidays. Try it, but only if you're willing to invest in a candy thermometer. Otherwise, you might want to track Peggy down and invite her over for dinner.
Starlight, Jennie Nelson 2006
(This is what happens when trying to learn Corel Painter and you can't get anything to turn out the way it looks in your mind. You draw lines, then play with the fill tool like a kid who just cracked open a fresh box of 64 Crayola's.)
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