Eggnog Caramels

Name: Eggnog Caramels
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 520 min
Ingredients: Vegetable-oil cooking spray; 2 cups heavy cream; 2.25 cups sugar; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces; 1.25 cups light corn syrup; 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt; 0.25 cup brandy; 0.75 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 0.5 teaspoon ground allspice; 0.125 teaspoon ground cloves

By

Martha Stewart Editors

Updated on March 31, 2020

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

8 hrs 40 mins

Yield:

72

Give caramel the eggnog treatment by spiking the chewy candies with brandy, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

Ingredients

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 cups heavy cream
2 ¼ cups sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 ¼ cups light corn syrup
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup brandy
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Lightly spray bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides; lightly spray parchment.
Bring cream, sugar, butter, and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan over high, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reads 248 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 13 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in salt, brandy, and spices (it may splatter). Return to medium-high heat and cook until mixture reads 248 degrees on candy thermometer. Pour caramel into prepared baking sheet (do not scrape any browned bits off bottom of pan) and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
Using parchment overhang, transfer caramel to a large cutting board. Trim edges, then cut into 1/2-by-2-inch pieces; wrap each piece in waxed paper or foil candy wrappers. Caramels can be stored at room temperature up to 1 month.

Cook's Notes

Be sure to remove the pan from the heat before adding the brandy to avoid the risk of fire.