Peppermint Caramels

1. Stage

Prep the dish: Line an 8 x 8-inch metal or ceramic (not glass) baking dish with parchment paper, making sure the paper comes up the sides of the pan; fold the parchment paper in on itself in the corners, so they lie as flat as possible against the pan. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.

2. Stage

Warm the cream and butter: In a small saucepan, heat the cream and butter until the cream is steaming. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the peppermint and vanilla extracts and the salt, and cover the pot to keep the ingredients warm. Set it aside on the back of the stove. (If the butter hasn’t fully melted, it will continue to melt as the cream sits.)

3. Stage

Make the caramel: Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large saucepan with high sides and stir to mix everything well. Use a pastry brush to wash down the inside of the pot, dissolving any sugar crystals clinging to the side. (Keep the pastry brush and a cup of water nearby.)  Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pot, making sure that the tip sticks into the mixture and doesn’t hit the bottom or side of the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, without stirring. Cook the sugar until it reaches a temperature of 270°F, about 15 minutes. (If any sugar sticks to the sides of the pot as the mixture bubbles, use the wet pastry brush to wipe it away so that it doesn’t burn, but try not to add too much water to the pot.)

4. Stage

Add the warm cream and butter mixture: When the mixture has reached 270°F, add the warm cream-butter mixture little by little, standing back from the pot to avoid the steam that will erupt with each addition. Stir the mixture gently with a rubber spatula, scraping up any sugar stuck to the bottom or the corners, so it gets incorporated into the caramel. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat, with the thermometer immersed, until the caramel has a deep, rich golden or light brown color and the thermometer registers somewhere between 245°F and 250°F; this usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Do not stir; instead, tilt and swirl the pot every couple of minutes so you don’t develop burned bits on the bottom.

5. Stage

Pour the caramel into the pan, then rest: Remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the caramel into the prepared pan—but do not scrape the pot (some of the sugar on the bottom may have crystallized or burnt, and you don’t want to add that to the rest). Let the caramel cool for 10 minutes. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

6. Stage

Cut and wrap the caramels: When the caramel has cooled, use a sharp knife to cut it into 1-inch strips, and then cut each strip into 1-inch squares, setting the strips and squares on parchment paper as you go. (If any parts of the caramel are stuck up onto the side of the parchment, you may have some hard, crunchy “wings;” trim them off if they will affect your texture too much.) If you want to add a coating of candy cane to your caramels, crush the mini candy canes in a mortar and pestle (or place in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin) until you have a very fine powder. Roll each piece of caramel lightly in the powder (it helps to slightly warm the caramels with your hands so the peppermint will stick).  Wrap each caramel in a 1 1/2x3-inch piece of parchment or wax paper, twisting the ends to seal them. Store the caramels at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Love this recipe? Leave us stars below!