Easy Homemade soft Caramels without a candy thermometer!
By Rebecca St. Clair
These homemade soft caramels are silky smooth, luxuriously soft, and deliciously flavoured! A perfect candy, if you are a beginner candy maker or a seasoned pro!
These soft caramels are perfect anytime of year but are especially fun to make around the holidays! They are a delicious addition to any Christmas cookie tin or decoratively wrapped for fun homemade gifts!
How to store homemade soft caramels
These little caramels stay fresh for a long time if stored correctly! The perfect treat to make ahead and store for later
Room temperature
Homemade Caramels made with sweetened condensed milk can be stored at room temperature up to 2 weeks. To make sure they stay at their freshest, individually wrap them in wax paper and store in an airtight container.
If you prefer not to individually wrap your caramels, store them in an airtight container with a piece of wax paper between the layers, so that the caramels do not stick back together.
Fridge
These caramels can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months. To make sure they stay fresh, individually wrap them in wax paper and then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
When you are ready to enjoy the caramels, remove from the fridge and let them soften to room temperature for that same soft texture.
Freezer
These caramels freeze extremely well and is an excellent choice for longer storage. To freeze your homemade caramels,
- Individually wrap the caramels in wax paper squares.
- Place in an airtight container
- Store in the freezer for up to 6 months
- Remove from the freezer and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
How to prevent homemade soft caramels from sticking
Making caramel is sticky business! However, there are some ways to make the job a little easier!
These caramels are soft and can be quite sticky especially when warm. If you are having trouble cutting your caramels without them sticking, place them in the fridge to chill slightly first.
You can also place a little bit of coconut oil on your fingers to prevent anything from sticking to your hands.
How to make homemade soft caramels without a candy thermometer
When it comes to candy making a candy thermometer is often useful, especially if you have not made candy before. However, they are rarely found in most home kitchens and can be unreliable if not calibrated correctly.
For these caramels, we are cooking them to the ‘soft ball’ state. Don’t let this scare you, it is easy to do this without any special equipment at all!
In stead of a thermometer, drip a little bit of the cooked caramel into a glass of cold water. Fish the little lump out with your fingers and if you can mold it into a squishy but firm ball, the caramel is done.
If it is still quite loose, continue to stir and cook the caramel another minute and then check again.
What is soft ball
Soft ball is how we refer to a sugar and liquid candy mixture that has been heated to 240 – 250 °F. Heating these sugar mixtures to different temperatures will result in a softer to harder candy in the end.
Jelly 220 °F (104 °C)
Thread 230 °F (110 °C)
Soft-ball 240 °F (115 °C)
Firm-ball 248 °F (120 °C)
Hard-ball 260 °F (127 °C)
Soft-crack 285 °F (140 °C)
Hard-crack 302 °F (150 °C)
If you have a candy thermometer and would like to use this for making caramel, make sure to keep the bottom of the thermometer in the liquid and not touching the bottom of the pan. This will give you a false reading.
If you would like a firmer caramel, that continue cooking until it reaches your desired firmness.
Since candy thermometers did not always exist, candy makers would use the method of dropping the cooked candy into cold water. When the liquid is dropped in water it will easily be formed, by your fingers, into a soft ball of caramel. This is just as reliable a method as using a thermometer.
How to make homemade soft caramels without a candy thermometer
Ingredients
1 can sweetened condensed milk 300 ml
1 cup corn syrup 250 ml
½ teaspoon salt 2 ml
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
1 Tablespoon butter 15 ml
Method
- In a heavy bottomed sauce pot add the sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and salt.
- Stirring constantly bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Caramel easily overcooks at the bottom if not stirred. If you start to see little darkened bits of caramel, stir them quickly and they will dissolved into the mixture.
3. If using a candy thermometer cook to a soft ball state which is between 240 °F – 245 °F (115 °C – 118 °C)
4. If not using a thermometer cook about 2 – 3 minutes after the mixture is at a rolling boil. Drip a tiny amount of the caramel into a glass of cold water. Fish it out with your fingers and, if it holds into a soft ball, it is done. If not, continue to cook and stir until it reaches your desired firmness. *Never touch the hot caramel with your barehands.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until incorporated.
6. Pour into a greased or lined 8 in. square pan.
7. Allow to cool completely before shaping or cutting into candies.
8. Cut or form into 36 pieces.
9. Wrap each in a square of wax paper. Twist at each end to seal.
Soft Caramels with Sweetened Condensed Milk
Soft chewy caramels that will melt in your mouth. This recipe is quick and easy to make at home with only handful of simple ingredients! This is a great beginner candy for any skill level!
Ingredients
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 300 ml
- 1 cup corn syrup 250 ml
- ½ teaspoon salt 2 ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
- 1 Tablespoon butter 15 ml
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed sauce pot add the sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and salt.
- Stirring constantly bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Caramel easily overcooks at the bottom if not stirred. If you start to see little darkened bits of caramel, stir them quickly and they will dissolved into the mixture.
- If using a candy thermometer cook to a soft ball state which is between 240 °F - 245 °F (115 °C - 118 °C)
- If not using a thermometer cook about 2 - 3 minutes after the mixture is at a rolling boil. Drip a tiny amount of the caramel into a glass of cold water. Fish it out with your fingers and, if it holds into a soft ball, it is done. If not, continue to cook and stir until it reaches your desired firmness. *Never touch the hot caramel with your barehands.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until incorporated.
- Pour into a greased or lined 8 in. square pan.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Cut or form into 36 pieces.
- Grease your hands with a little coconut oil to prevent anything from sticking.
- Wrap each in a square of wax paper. Twist at each end to seal.
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