Caramels

This is the one candy I make every year at Christmas.  I'm actually very surprised it didn't get blogged last year.  I love them.  The recipe is from my old plaid betty crocker cookbook.  They really are not difficult to make (unless you over-follow directions like DH tried to this year.   I will make them more clear when I write them here today so he will be able to follow them. :)  The time consuming part of these is the cutting and wrapping.  I usually cut them with a knife and wrap them in plastic wrap.  This year I cut all the rows with a knife and then a few columns with the knife, but then I switched to my kitchen scissors.  That was way easy - loved it for snipping the individual squares off the row of candy.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 16 oz. brown sugar (2 1/4 cups packed)
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 cups)
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Generously butter a 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan (I used a silicon pan this year and they came out of the pan so nicely.)  In a heavy 3 quart saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  Add sugar, condensed milk, and corn syrup;  mix well.  (I usually just toss everything but the vanilla in the pan and stir it over medium heat until it comes together.)  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it reaches 248 on a candy thermometer.  (This will take about 15 minutes - give or take 5 minutes)  
2. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Pour into buttered pan.  Let cool
3. When cool, cut into squares with a wet, sharp knife.  Wrap each piece in plastic wrap.