Chewy Caramels

Valentine's Day is less than a week away. Instead of the classic heart boxed chocolates why don't you really knock the socks off your sweetheart and MAKE 'em something sweet. These caramels would be the perfect treat!

Now I'm not a candy maker and so attempting these was a bit scary, especially when I poured them into the pan and the top had this crater-like look that pooled with the melted butter. I thought I had cooked it too long and it was going to shatter when I tried to cut it. But to my surprise and delight they were fabulous!! Perfectly chewy and creamy and down right delicious!

This is what it looks like while it is boiling:

Chewy Caramels (from http://www.lafujimama.com/- check out her website for more process pictures)

2 cups sugar
8 oz. butter
1 3/4 cup light corn syrup (or dark if you want darker, richer caramels)
14.5 oz. evaporated milk
1 1/2 T. vanilla

*Butter a 9x13 pan and set aside.
*Place the sugar, butter, corn syrup and evaporated milk in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan (no smaller than 3 qrts) and cook over high heat, constantly stirring until it reaches 210 degrees on a candy thermometer.
*Reduce the temperature to medium heat and continue to cook and stir until it reaches 245 degrees. (This will take awhile, just be patient and dont turn up the heat)
*Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla, stirring quickly.
*Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and allow to cool several hours or better, overnight.
*Work the whole slab of caramel out of the pan when cooled completely and cut into small squares.
*Wrap in pieces of wax paper.

Or take it up a notch and dip them in melted chocolate. Mmm...Bliss!: