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I am going to be making a Christmas treat with melted caramel. I remember the last time I melted caramel for apples, it turned very hard. Can anyone tell me how to melt caramel without it turning as hard as a rock?
I am going to be making a Christmas treat with melted caramel. I remember the last time I melted caramel for apples, it turned very hard. Can anyone tell me how to melt caramel without it turning as hard as a rock?
Thanks!
Use one of those mini (small) crock pots and keep it on low.
Or a fondue type vessel,
stirring frequently and adding cream to keep a smooth consistencey
Thanks for the feedback, here's a little more info.
I am taking square pretzels and putting a little scoop of caramel onto it, then dipping them in chocolate. I need the caramel either melted or softened. I was planning on just melting pre-existing caramel, not making it myself. (My goal was simplicity, as I'll be doing these with my kids. )
dojilynn;
I'm not getting a good mental picture of these pretzels and the scoop of caramel is where you totally lost me, before dipping into chocolate.
Is this something like pecan turtles? where the caramel has to cover the pretzel or is it just centered? I'm thinking microwave, since the caramel tend to start to stiffen as soon as it is exposed to any coolness;( thinkin out loud right now") hmmmmm... I was thinking microwave. because you can "nuke" the caramel in between scoops to melt to the right consistency without having to be concerned with all the other stuff".....aargh!! I give up on this one.
(can't you guys make something else???) LOL .just teasing.....hope you all have fun!!
maybe someone else will have a better idea ; sorry about that
Thanks for the feedback, here's a little more info.
I am taking square pretzels and putting a little scoop of caramel onto it, then dipping them in chocolate. I need the caramel either melted or softened. I was planning on just melting pre-existing caramel, not making it myself. (My goal was simplicity, as I'll be doing these with my kids. )
Well you will never know what you are getting since commercial caramel might contain all kinds of plasticizers and conditioners.
I don't know if it is too late, but it seems to me that whenever I have melted caramel (the little cubes) I had to add either half and half or milk - not much though!
You can make your own caramels and cook them to the consistancy you want.. It is easy, I do it all the time and they are just as good, if not better than the store bought ones...
Caramel
You will love these, cooking times and temps depend on what you want to use them for and there are MANY uses!
Note, I use a pizza cutter sprayed with Pam to cut these and spray my hands with Pam to handle. Wrap in freezer paper to store. Freezes great!
1 cup butter (Sorry NO substitute)
2 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 dash salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (15 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Melt butter in a heavy 3 quart sauce pan.
Add sugar and salt.
Stir thoroughly.
Now stir in corn syrup.
Mix well.
Add sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly.
Cook and stir over medium heat and heat to firm ball stage (245 degrees), about 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
Pour into a 9x9x2 buttered pan; cool, cut into squares (or make turtles by arranging two pecan halves on a buttered sheet of waxed paper and spooning a little caramel on top of the pecans, let cool, then spooning a little melted milk chocolate on top).
Enjoy when cooled.
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