2 pounds sugar.
1½ pounds glucose.
3 pints cream.
1 tablespoonful vanilla.
Put sugar, glucose and one pint of cream in the kettle, stir constantly
before, and also after it commences boiling, until it will form in
a soft ball when dropped in cold water. There is no exact degree
necessary to which to cook this. Now add another pint of cream slowly,
stir constantly and cook again to a soft ball, then slowly add the last
pint of cream, and a piece of non-paraff about the size of a walnut,
and cook again, being careful to stir all over the bottom of the kettle
so that it will not stick, until it will form into a good firm ball
in cold water, but not brittle, remembering that your caramels will
be, when cold, the same consistency as this last ball, so you can get
it just about as you wish. It is very unhandy to use a thermometer in
making these, as they must be stirred continually from the time you put
them on the stove until done. The non-paraff may be left out entirely
if you wish, as that is simply put in to make them retain their shape
after being cut up. In stirring it, do so very gently, but aim to
cover the whole bottom of the kettle. If you stir it hard they might
possibly sugar for you, and your only idea in stirring is to keep them
from sticking. It is very essential to use glucose in order to make a
good caramel. If you should overcook it and they are too brittle, or
undercook it and they are too soft, the batch may be put back in the
kettle with a little more milk or cream, and cooked again. If you have
the iron bars we mentioned, grease your slab thoroughly and lay the
bars on it so as to form a small square place. Then into your candy,
just after taking it off the stove, stir in the vanilla, being careful
not to stir it too much while adding this, but just enough to mix it in
good, and pour on slab between the bars. Always make the square with
the bars small enough as you will want your candy to fill it up level
full in order to have your caramels the correct thickness, which should
be about three-fourths of an inch. If you have not made the place large
enough it is very easy to move one of the bars just a trifle in order
to hold all your candy. But if you made the square too large, it is
almost impossible to move the bars closer together after pouring your
candy out. If you do not wish to use cream, you may use milk or part
milk and part cream. If you use all milk add a little butter after
the batch begins to boil. These caramels may also be made by simply
using only two pints of cream or milk and cooking them twice, instead
of three pints and cooking them three times, but are not so rich. If
your batch should happen to grain and turn to sugar, put it back in the
kettle with a little more glucose and another pint of cream or milk,
stir over a slow fire to dissolve, then cook up as before. When these
caramels are set or cold, mark them in perfect squares with a knife and
one of the bars, then cut up with a large knife, in a sawing motion.
If the milk curdles, do not stop stirring and set the batch off, but
simply cook according to directions, and the curd will not show. These
caramels should be wrapped in wax paper to prevent sticking together.
The kettle may be scraped lightly, when pouring these caramels out.