Soft, Chewy and Delicious Caramel Candies

1. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and sweetened condensed milk in a large, heavy saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the ingredients are well combined.
3. Continue cooking over medium heat until the caramel reaches 240°F (120°C), stirring occasionally, and making sure it doesn't burn.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Pour the mixture into a well-greased pan.
6. Once it has cooled, cut it into pieces (you can make them as small as you prefer, but smaller pieces are recommended).
7. Wrap each piece in small squares of plastic wrap.

Notes:

It is recommended to use a kitchen thermometer to measure the temperature. If you don't have corn syrup, you can substitute it with a homemade sugar syrup: heat 1 1/4 cups of sugar with 1/3 cup water until the mixture becomes syrupy.

Tips:

• Do not let the thermometer touch the sides or bottom of the pan.
• While waiting for the caramel to cool, cut the plastic wrap into 4-inch squares.
• Be careful with the hot caramel! Don’t lick the wooden spoon!
• If the caramel doesn’t harden when cooled, scrape it back into the pan and reheat it, making sure it reaches the correct temperature.
• If the caramel takes too long to reach 240°F, don't be afraid to turn the heat up.
• And one last thing: resist the temptation to eat more than five pieces in a row, or your stomach might complain!

Recipe & Photo Credit: As Minhas Receitas