Licorice Caramels Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

1. "A mild, unbelievably delicious licorice flavor.
2. You'll find black and red paste for coloring these candies in specialty and cake-decorating stores.
3. The black caramels also make great Halloween treats--" Line a 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over he edges of the pan.
4. Butter the foil; set aside.
5. In a heavy 3 quart saucepan melt the butter over low heat.
6. Add the sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and salt; mix well.
7. Carefully clip a candy thermometer to side of the pan.
8. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently; till candy thermometer registers 244; firm-ball stage.
9. The mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over entire surface.
10. Reaching firm-ball stage should take 15 to 20 minutes. (Mixture scorches easily. ) Remove from heat; remove candy thermometer from saucepan.
11. Add anise extract and coloring, stir to mix.
12. Quickly pour candy, without scraping into the buttered-foil-lined pan.
13. Cool for several hours or till firm.
14. Use foil to lift candy out of pan onto cutting board.
15. Peel foil away; discard.
16. With a buttered sharp knife, cut immediately into 1-inch squares; wrap individually in waxed paper. , Makes 81 pieces (about 2-3/4 pounds) To wrap caramels: Tear off 6-inch strips of waxed paper; cut each strip into 4 inch widths, making pieces 6 x 4 inches.
17. Roll caramel in length of paper; fold flaps under.
18. Set caramels into gift boxes with flaps underneath.
19. The caramels will pack neatly and stay tightly wrapped.