Caramels

Here is my Mom's FAMOUS CARAMELS recipe. She found it in an automotive magazine while she was sitting in a waiting room over 30 years ago. She has been making it every Christmas since I was teeny tiny. I grew up helping her stir (and STIR and STIR). This recipe is not for the weak cook. You need MUSCLE to make these babies. It takes approximately 45 minutes of constant stirring of thick, boiling caramel before they're done. So why do I make at least 3 BATCHES every December? Because they are THAT worth it! My kids love to help me wrap the caramels in wax paper. It's one of our favorite Christmas traditions. So here you go, the secret family recipe (from the waiting room magazine!):

½ lb butter

2 cups light corn syrup
2 cups sugar
2 (15 oz ) cans sweetened condensed milk
½ cup flour
2 tsp vanilla

Before you start cooking: measure 2 cups corn syrup; set aside. Mix together sweetened condensed milk and flour; set aside. Have everything close by. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam or spread with butter, bottom only.

Melt butter in a large (3 qt or larger) non-stick pan. Add corn syrup and sugar. Bring to boil on med heat, stirring often, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in milk/flour mixture. Boil over med heat, stirring constantly until mixture darkens and reaches a medium hard ball stage (235º on candy thermometer). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Turn into greased pan and cool completely.

Cut into 2 inch pieces with a buttered knife. Wrap pieces in small squares of wax paper. Makes over 100 pieces, but really I lose count every time.