Caramels

Method

1. Grease a baking dish or pan (or use a nonstick silicone pan). The smaller the base of the pan, the thicker your pieces of caramel will be.
2. Place all ingredients, except for the margarine and vanilla extract, into a heavy 2- or 3-quart saucepan (make sure that the sides of your pan are at least 6 inches high because the caramel mixture will bubble up).
3. Over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, dissolve the sugar completely. Next, add the margarine and stir just until boiling. Once boiling, stop stirring.
4. Let the mixture continue to boil, without stirring, until it reaches 245° to 250°F on your candy thermometer (or Firm Ball Stage if you’re using the Cold Water Method), which takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. When the mixture is at the right temperature, immediately remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Quickly pour into your prepared dish.
6. Let cool at room temperature for a few minutes and then slip into your fridge for about an hour. Once firm, cut the caramel into squares. You can freeze the candy just for a few minutes right before cutting to make it slightly less sticky to handle.
7. Wrap the candies in waxed paper and store in fridge or in cool, dry place for up to 1 month.