Licorice Caramels

Photo: flickr user Bernt Rostad

Ingredients

1 cup Butter (not margarine)

2 cups Sugar

14 ounces Can (1-¼ cups) sweetened condensed milk

1 cup Light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Anise extract

1/2 teaspoon Black or red coloring paste

Preparation

"A mild, unbelievably delicious licorice flavor. You'll find black and red paste for coloring these candies in specialty and cake-decorating stores.

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. Butter the foil; set aside.

In a heavy 3 quart saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and salt; mix well. Carefully clip a candy thermometer to side of the pan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently; till candy thermometer registers 244; firm-ball stage. The mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over entire surface. Reaching firm-ball stage should take 15 to 20 minutes. (Mixture scorches easily.) Remove from heat; remove candy thermometer from saucepan. Add anise extract and coloring, stir to mix.

Quickly pour candy, without scraping into the buttered-foil-lined pan. Cool for several hours or till firm. Use foil to lift candy out of pan onto cutting board. Peel foil away; discard. 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. Roll caramel in length of paper; fold flaps under. Set caramels into gift boxes with flaps underneath. The caramels will pack neatly and stay tightly wrapped.