Salted Maple Whiskey Caramels create a party in your mouth when you taste these deliciously sweet, lightly salted caramels, with just a hint of the smooth maple whiskey.
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😋 Why make this recipe
If you are looking for a unique and delicious caramel recipe then you need to try these caramels. Maple and whiskey accent the sweet chewy caramel flavor toped with a bit of salt to bring the flavor to the next level. They are perfect for gift-giving during the holidays.
🥘 Ingredients
- heavy whipping cream
- Crown Royal Maple Whiskey
- vanilla
- maple flavoring
- kosher coarse salt
- sugar
- light corn syrup
- water
🔪 Instructions
Prep your pan: lightly grease a 9-inch square pan with butter, being sure to get all sides and bottom
Mix cream and seasoning: In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter, heavy whipping cream, whiskey, vanilla, maple flavoring, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boiling, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.
Cook sugar mixture: In 3-quart saucepan, mix sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR. Boil until sugar turns a warm golden brown.
Add cream to sugar mixture: When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. Pour caramel into pan; cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with up to 1 tablespoon salt; cool completely.
Cut and wrap caramels: Rub butter on a pair of kitchen scissors then cut caramels into squares or rub butter on a knife and cut them this way. Wrap individually in parchment or wax paper.
💭 Top tips
How to make caramel not stick
Butter is your friend for helping caramel not stick. Be sure to lightly grease your pan before you pour cooked caramels in. When it's time to slice your caramels spread a little butter on your knife to prevent sticking. You could also put butter on sharp kitchen scissors and cut this way. To keep your cut caramels from sticking together wrap individual pieces in wax paper squares.
Why salt caramel?
My favorite part of these caramels is the flavor the salt adds to the candy and how it makes them look like something out of an expensive candy shop.
According to Chateau Rouge, the combination of sweet and salty foods makes for an appealing treat for the taste buds, with the sweetness mingling with flavor-enhancing salt to create a flavor that is both unique and appetizing.
The trick to getting salted caramel right lies in the ratios. Too much salt and the balance is completely thrown, and too much sweetness and it becomes sickly. A simple dash of salt is enough to trigger a positive reaction.
What type of liquior in caramels?
For this recipe, I used Crown Royal Maple Whiskey however you could substitute for any other good quality whiskey or bourbon.
How to wrape caramels
Cut small squares out of wax paper and place the caramel pieces in the center. Twist each end of the wrapper tightly to secure. Individually wrapping caramels is the best way of keeping them from sticking to each other when are in a candy dish.
How do you store caramel candy?
Place wrapped caramels in an airtight container. Place the container in your pantry or a dry, cool cupboard. Protect your caramels from moisture and they will stay fresh for up to three weeks at room temperature.
🍽 Equipment
The key to good caramel is quality ingredients and a good candy thermometer. It's important to bring your caramel to 248 degrees which is a softball stage. This temperature will keep them soft and chewy.
Candy Thermometer with Pot Clip Stay Cool Hanging Handle Professional
- 【Instant Read and Accurate】 large temperature zones printed on unit – 6 zones include Deep Fry, Thread, Soft Ball, Hard Ball, Soft Crack & Hard Crack stages. Temperature ranges in Fahrenheit and Celsius – 90°F to 400°F (30°C to 200°C).
- 【Hand-free Design】 Includes an adjustable pan clip that securely affixes the thermometer to almost all pan types. So you can secure it to your pan and avoid hot spills
- 【Stay Cool Handle】An oversized stay cool handle provided easy removal from the pan after use.
- 【Dishwasher Safe】 Rust-proof 430 stainless steel solid construction for long lasting durability. Great for candy making, melting chocolate, yogurts, creams sauces, jams, oil/deep fry and more.
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Giving caramels as a gift
Giving someone a really special gift does not have to be extravagant or expensive. Matter of fact taking time to make someone a special unique gift can mean more. What better way to show some love than to take time to make these Salted Maple Whiskey Caramels as a sweet treat to give as a gift.
Wax Paper Whiskey Candy Wrappers
Wrap your whiskey candy up in cute patterned wax papers, Just cut into small squares, place a caramel in the center, and then twist each end in the opposite direction to close.
Mikasa Saturn Covered Candy Dish
This Mikasa candy dish is perfect for giving your homemade caramels as a gift.
Hungry for more sweets?
Recipe
Salted Maple Whiskey Caramels
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. for greasing square pan
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup Crown Royal Maple Whiskey
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 teaspoon maple flavoring
- 1/4 tsp. kosher coarse salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- up to 1 tbsp. course kosher salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan with butter, being sure to get all sides and bottom
- In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter, heavy whipping cream, whiskey, vanilla, maple flavoring, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boiling, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.
- In 3-quart saucepan, mix sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR. Boil until sugar turns a warm golden brown.
- When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful -- it will bubble up violently. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees F (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. Pour caramel into pan; cool 10 minutes. Sprinkle with up to 1 tablespoon salt; cool completely.
- Rub butter on a pair of kitchen scissors or knife then cut caramels into squares; wrap individually in parchment or wax paper.
Nutrition
Whitney
Gina Marie, these sound amazing!!! They look so smooth and creamy. My bf would LOVE these. I'm going to have to make these for his birthday in May.
Angela Sartori
Have you tried putting in molds? I wonder if it will keep its shape! I would like to make ahead for Christmas gift! How should they be stored?
Gina
Angela, I cut them into small squares and wrapped individual pieces in wax paper squares. I twisted them on each end to secure. It gave the candy gifts an old fashioned homemade feel. They will keep like this for a month or so however I would keep them in the fridge until ready to set out in a candy dish to serve. I have not tried molds. It is pretty soft so if you want molds you will have to cook to a hard crack temperature with your candy thermometer.