Caramel Corn

This stuff is fantastic! I keep eating it and eating it...

8 quarts popped corn (if you have an air-pop machine, this would be 2 batches)
1 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

Put popcorn in a large baking dish or pan (you might need two). Mix the butter, sugar, syrup, and baking soda together in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a light boil. Remove from heat once it starts boiling. Add vanilla and stir. Pour slowly over popcorn. Make sure it all gets coated. Place caramel
corn in oven and bake at 225 F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and empty onto counter or table to cool (making sure your counter or table is clean). Eat it while it is warm! It's the best!

Recipe courtesy of Sandy Aunspaugh

Macadamia & Coconut Caramels

Cookin'

Butter for greasing
1 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. macadamia nuts, chopped
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil, and grease the foil with butter. Set aside.

Chillin'

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar, and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until a candy thermometer reads 244 F (firm-ball stage).

Remove from the heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared dish. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.

Wrapped

Using foil, lift candy out of dish. Gently peel off foil. Cut caramel into 1 inch squares. Wrap individually in wax paper; twist ends. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe from Taste of Home

Twix Bars

I used this recipe to make a giant Twix bar rather than normal sized Twix bars. 

Shortbread and carmel

Shortbread Cookie:
 1 c. butter, room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. milk

Carmel Filling:
15.5 oz. soft carmels (for the giant one, only about 20-25 carmels were used total)
2 Tbsp. milk
Dash of salt

Chocolate Topping:
12 oz. milk chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tsp. Crisco, if needed to make the chocolate softer (I did not use this)

For shortbread cookie: Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add this to the butter mixture. Finally, at low speed, add the milk and vanilla. Separate the dough into halves and wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until the dough is as firm as a stick of butter. 

Now is the time to preheat your oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Once your dough is firm enough to work with, either roll it out onto the sheet pan or press with fingers to about 1/2-3/4" thickness. Bake for 20-30 minutes, turning the baking sheet front-to-back halfway through the baking time. 

For carmel layer: Unwrap and place your carmels, milk and salt in a microwaveable bowl and nuke for 1 minute at a time, stopping to stir, until nice and melted (approximately 3-4 minutes). Pour carmel over the baked shortbread. Put in the refrigerator to harden and set. Cut the shortbread/carmel layer into Twix size pieces or whatever shape you desire. Chill them in the freezer to firm them up before dipping.  

Giant Twix Bar

For chocolate coating: Microwave the chocolate at 1 minute intervals while stirring till melted or use a double boiler method to melt. Dip the bars into the chocolate and place them on waxed paper to set (if you make a giant bar, pour the chocolate over the top, chill, then flip over and coat the bottom then turn upright on wax paper). Chill in the refrigerator or freezer to speed up setting. Once they are set, you are ready to enjoy them!

Recipe courtesy of Jill Hanses 

Caramel Sticky Rolls

Rolling out the dough

Rolls:
3 1/2-4 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
4 1/2 tsp. regular or quick active dry yeast
1 c. very warm milk
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. butter, softened

Caramel Topping:

Dough with butter spread on

1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened


Filling:
1/4 c. granulated sugar or packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

To make the rolls:
Mix 2 c. of the flour, the sugar, salt, and yeast in large bowl. Add warm milk, 1/4 c. butter, and the egg. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Dough with butter and filling

Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Place dough in large bowl greased with shortening, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap (or towel) and let rise in warm place about 1 hour 30 minutes or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.

Make Caramel Topping (below). Pour into ungreased rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 in.

Make Filling (below).

Rolled dough

Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Flatten dough with hands or rolling pin into 15 x 10 in rectangle on lightly floured surface. Spread with 2 Tbsp. butter; sprinkle with Filling. Roll rectangle up tightly, beginning at 15 inch side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Stretch and shape until even. Cut roll into fifteen 1 inch slices with dental floss or a sharp serrated knife. Place slightly apart in pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap (or towel) and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until double.

Heat oven to 350 F.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes; immediately turn upside down onto heatproof tray or serving plate. Let stand 1 minute so caramel can drizzle over rolls; remove pan. Serve warm.

Caramel Topping

To make caramel topping:
Heat brown sugar and butter to boil in medium saucepan, stirring constantly; remove from heat.

 To make filling:
Mix all ingredients.

First roll placed in pan

From Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Yummmmmm...