Put the sugar, sirup, and water over the fire and stir until it boils. Cover and cook until a hard ball will form or a temperature of 254 or 256 degrees is reached. Spread the nuts on a buttered slab or pan, and to them add fruit or coconut if it is desired to use either of these. Pour the hot sirup over this until it is about 1 inch in thickness. When sufficiently cool, cut in pieces of any desirable size, using a quick, sliding motion of the knife and pressing down at the same time. Break into pieces when entirely cold and serve.
CARAMELS
87. NATURE OF CARAMELS.--Caramels are included among the popular candies, and they may be made in many varieties. To plain vanilla caramels, which are the simplest kind to make, may be added any desirable color or flavor at the time they are removed from the fire. To keep caramels from crystallizing after they are boiled, glucose in some form must be used, and the most convenient kind to secure is corn sirup. Then, too, caramels will cut more easily and will have less of a sticky consistency if a small piece of paraffin is boiled with the mixture. The addition of this material or any wax that is not a food is contrary to the pure-food laws, and such candy cannot be sold. However, paraffin is not harmful, but is merely a substance that is not digested, so that the small amount taken by eating candy in which it is used cannot possibly cause any injury.
88. In the making of caramels, it should be remembered that good results depend on boiling the mixture to just the right point. If they are not boiled enough, they will be too soft to retain their shape when cut, and if they are cooked too long, they will be brittle. Neither of these conditions is the proper consistency for caramels. To be right, they must be boiled until a temperature of 246 to 248 degrees is reached. However, chocolate caramels need not be boiled so long, as the chocolate helps to harden them.
89. PLAIN CARAMELS.--The accompanying recipe for plain caramels may be made just as it is given, or to it may be added any flavoring or coloring desired. A pink color and strawberry flavor are very often found in caramels and are considered to be a delicious combination. As will be noted, white sugar is called for, but if more of a caramel flavor is preferred, brown sugar may be used instead of white. Maple sugar may also be used in candy of this kind. Nuts, fruits, or coconut, or any mixture of these materials, improves plain caramels wonderfully. If they are used, they should be stirred into the mixture at the time it is removed from the fire.
PLAIN CARAMELS
- 3 c. milk
- 3 c. sugar
- 1-1/2 c. corn sirup
The milk used for making caramels should be as rich as possible; in fact, if cream can be used, the candy will be very much better. Add half of the milk to the sugar and sirup and put over the fire to cook. Allow this mixture to boil until a soft ball will form when dropped in water, stirring when necessary to prevent burning. Then gradually add the remaining milk without stopping the boiling if possible. Cook again until a temperature of 248 degrees will register on the thermometer or a fairly hard ball will form when tried in water. In the water test, the ball, when thoroughly cold, should have exactly the same consistency as the finished caramels. Toward the end of the boiling, it is necessary to stir the mixture almost constantly to prevent it from burning. When done, pour it out on a buttered slab or some other flat surface and allow it to become cool. Then cut the candy into squares from 3/4 to 1 inch in size, cutting with a sliding pressure, that is, bearing down and away from you at the same time.
If the caramels are to be packed or kept for any length of time, it is well to wrap them in waxed paper. Before attempting to use caramels, however, they should be allowed to stand overnight in a cool, dry place, but not in a refrigerator.