LICORICE CARAMELS

My pal, Suzanne Ferguson, knows the way to my heart. So, every concert and every birthday she hands me a big ol' bag of her home made licorice caramels. She also knows the boys in my band love them, so she makes multiple bags, plus more to sell as concessions for our orphans in Africa. If I let myself, I could eat a full bag of these in one sitting. They are so irresistible!

1 c butter

2 c sugar

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)

1 c light corn syrup

1/8 t salt

1 t anise extract 

½ t black or red food coloring paste

 

Line a 9x9 pan with foil, extending the foil over the top of the pan. 

Butter the foil.

 

In a heavy 3 qt. saucepan melt butter over low heat.

Add sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Mix well.

Clip candy thermometer to side of pan.

Cook on medium heat at moderate steady boil.

Stir regularly to avoid scorching. (it will be roughly 13-20 minutes)

Cook to around 230 (thread) (if you want a softer caramel cook to lower temp next time, and higher for firmer)

When its reached 230 (between thread and firm ball stage) remove from heat. Remove thermometer.

Add anise and food coloring and stir well.

Pour immediately into buttered foil lined pan. 

Let cool several hours until firm.

Lift out of pan by foil edges and set on cutting board.

Remove foil and cut into 1 x ¾  inch pieces.

Wrap in waxed paper, twisting the edges like candy.

SUZY FERG'S LICORICE CARAMELS

My pal Suzy Q has magical hands. You would seriously consider becoming deathly ill just to get a meal from her. Or a cake. Or pie. Or these sweet little black treasures that we have taken to hiding from visiting friends and family.
I post this for my own use, because when I am in Michigan or New York, and I need my recipes, I just turn to this blog. But if you happen upon it, well, just consider yourself lucky.

Licorice Caramels (oh, yeah)
1 C butter
2 c sugar
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 c)
1 c light corn syrup
1/8 t salt
1 t. anise extract
1/2 t black or red food coloring paste

Line 9x9x2" pan with foil, extending foil over the edges. Butter the foil.

In a heavy 3 qt saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Mix well. Carefully clip candy thermometer to side of pan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly till it reaches 220 degrees or thread stage. dip a spoon in mixture and trickle it into cold water. if it maintains a thread-like state, it's ready. A little more firm than soft ball, but not as hard as hard-ball. Mixture should boil at a steady rate over entire surface. It will scorch easily, so continuously scrape bottom of pan. Remove from heat, remove candy thermometer, and stir in anise and food coloring.

Quickly pour candy, without scraping sides, into buttered-foil-lined pan. Cool for several hours or till firm. Use foil to lift candy out of pan onto cutting board.  Peel foil away. With a buttered sharp knife cut immediately into 1 inch squares. Wrap each piece individually in waxed paper.

WRAPPER: cut six inch strip of paper, then trim to 4 inch pieces. so each piece is 6x4 inches. Wrap around caramels and twist ends like taffy wrap.