NEVER FAIL MICROWAVE CARAMELS....QUICK AND EASY!

  Every couple of years I post

this recipe because people

LOVE IT!

AND- you can't screw it up.

 When I was a kid,

 my mother

often whipped up a batch 

of fudge from scratch

after the chores were done

on a snowy Pennsylvania night.

I make caramels instead.

As you can tell, I love to bake

and make candy.

I don't know how many 

caramel recipes I have tried

over the years.

Some of them called for

stirring for what seemed hours

and then...

they might or might not

"turn out".

These are quick!

Less than 10 minutes from

start to finish AND they

NEVER FAIL 

to set up properly.

I am not sure how these would 

turn out if you have an old

low wattage microwave.

I think most of them are at least

1000 watts now.

I have made them in 1000W,

1200W & 1500W mics

and the timing is the same.

(if you want to double check use

a candy thermometer and it should

read between 240˚-245˚ when done)

Ready?

Get yourself a nice big 

microwave measuring cup.

I use an 8 cup one.

Make sure it is microwave safe.

Before I start-

One warning-

You CANNOT double this recipe.

You would have to make two batches

if you want more.

Everything that is measured out

is in 1/2 cup increments.

Melt 1/2 cup butter.

Remove from microwave.

Add 1/2 cup Karo syrup (I use white Karo),

1/2 cup light brown sugar,

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup sweetened CONDENSED MILK

(not evaporated milk)

Stir until mixed and dissolved.

Microwave on high 3-1/2 minutes.

Stir down.

Microwave on high 3-1/2 more minutes.

Remove from mic.  Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts-if desired- I don't.

Stir until few air bubbles remain.

Pour into 8x8 HEAVILY buttered dish.

Refrigerate just until set.

Cut into squares.

(Sometimes I pull the whole works

out of the pan and cut the squares

using kitchen scissors).

NOTE:  Cut before these are completely

cold and hard.  If they are too hard,

let them warm up for a while

then you will be able to cut them.

You can wrap these if they last long enough.

Ours never seem to make it to the

wrapped stage!

If you do have some left to wrap

they make a perfect little 

take-along gift in a pretty 'card box',

like the post before this with the fudge in it!

I hope you have a most

wonderful, blessed

SUNDAY!!!!

CARAMEL RECIPE:

1/2 Cup real butter

1/2 Cup KARO syrup

1/2 Cup light brown sugar

1/2 Cup graulated white sugar (not confecionery sugar)

1/2 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk (Not Evaporated Milk)

        (I use the Eagle Brand-It's better than other kinds for this particular recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

Use a LARGE Pyrex (or other) Measuring cup (mine is 8 cups)

WARNING- MAKE SURE IT IS MICROWAVE PROOF!

Melt 1/2 cup of butter in microwave.

Remove from microwave.

Stir in:

KARO syrup, light brown sugar, white sugar, Sweented condensed milk.

Stir until well blended and sugars are dissolved.

Microwave on high for 3-1/2 minutes.

Remove from microwave.

Stir down.

Put back in microwave.

Microwave on high for 3-1/2 minutes.

Remove from Microwave.

Add 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla.

Add nuts at this point if so desired.

Stir well until air bubbles are just about all gone.

Pour into HEAVILY BUTTERED 8x8 pan and put in fridge.

Let them set but not get super hard. If they get too hard they will be too hard to cut.  If that happens put them in a warm oven for a few minutes until they soften slightly.

Cut into squares while still soft.  

Sometimes I pull the whole thing out of the pan and use

kitchen shears to cut into strips and then squares from the strips. 

Wrap squares in wax paper squares and twist ends shut.

If you use DARK KARO SYRUP you get a darker caramel but we prefer the lighter ones.