I’ve been all about the salty-sweet Holiday treats this year, so today I’m sharing a simple recipe for homemade caramel candies infused with Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider (my fav!) and a heady mix of winter spices.
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As long as you’ve got a candy thermometer, the process of making caramels at home is actually quite straightforward. Sugar, butter and cream go into a pot and boil until the mixture hits 245°F. You then pour the caramel into a parchment-lined baking dish and let firm up for 2 hours. Cut the caramel into squares and voila, homemade caramel candies! Sweet, soft and so delicious.
In this recipe, I’m amping up flavors with the addition of hard cider, winter spices, vanilla and sea salt. You start by simmering Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider with cinnamon, allspice and clove. As the mixture reduces down, your entire kitchen will be filled with the warm aromas of mulled cider. This concentrated flavor base is added to the pot with everything else mentioned above. Vanilla extract and sea salt are stirred in at the end for depth of flavor. Finally, the caramels are finished with a sprinkling of crunchy sea salt. With each bite you’ll get a sweet hit of salted caramel at first followed by a comforting note of spiced apple. I’d recommend making several batches this Holiday season so you can keep one for yourself and give the rest as gifts!! Continue reading for the recipe.
Apples and caramel are a classic pairing, and with this recipe, you can enjoy it in just one bite! Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider, made from a number of high-quality bittersweet and culinary apples, is a perfect base here, because it has a balanced mix of tart and sweet. As the cider reduces down, it becomes sweeter while still retaining a good amount of acidity. The crisp acid of the cider is still present in the finished caramels, helping to keep the sweetness in check. You can seriously eat a bunch of these caramels, and never reach that sugar overload moment.
Another bonus to making these candies is you’ll have plenty of hard cider leftover to enjoy throughout the season. Sip on one while these caramels cool or while you’re wrapping each caramel in parchment (make the process go much faster!). Angry Orchard Hard Cider would also be a perfect addition to any Holiday party as it pairs beautifully with ham, turkey and other rich, wintery flavors.
You may be wondering if you can make this recipe without a candy thermometer. And the answer is yes. Drop a little bit of the caramel into a glass of ice cold water. If it firms up into a pliable ball, it’s done! I’ve never tested doneness this way, because I prefer the precision of the thermometer. So I would recommend that you do yourself a favor and order a candy thermometer. The one I use is $8 on Amazon, and it makes the process so darn easy!
Sea Salt Hard Cider Caramels Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider
- 2 3- inch cinnamon sticks
- 5 allspice berries
- 2 whole cloves
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into slices
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fleur de sel (or Maldon salt), for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line an 8 or 9-inch straight-sided square metal baking pan with 2 long sheets of parchment paper, crisscrossed so there’s paper overhanging on all 4 sides.
- Add hard cider, cinnamon sticks, allspice and clove to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan (I used a 3-quart cast iron pot here) over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook at a boil until the cider is reduced to 1/2 cup (35 - 40 minutes). Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup, discard the spices, then return the reduced cider back to the same pot.
- Return the pot to medium-high heat, then add butter, sugars and heavy cream, stirring until the butter and sugars have melted and dissolved. Clamp on a candy thermometer, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the caramel hits 245°F (about 10 minutes). Working quickly but carefully, take the caramel off the heat, remove the thermometer and stir in 1 teaspoon of sea salt and the vanilla.
- Immediately pour the caramel into the prepared baking pan, and let cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Using the parchment overhang, lift the slab of caramel out of the baking pan and place on a cutting board. Lightly spritz a sharp knife with non-flavored oil spray, and cut caramel into 1-inch squares (you don’t have to be precise here) or 1-inch by 1/2-inch rectangles. These caramels are soft and slightly sticky, so re-oil your knife as needed. Sprinkle each caramel with a little fleur de sel. Wrap caramels in wax or parchment paper, and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
This post was written in partnership with Angry Orchard Hard Cider. All thoughts, opinions and recipes are my own. Connect with Angry Orchard Hard Cider on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!
Kelli says
Totally making these. If you get it out in CA, Bold Rock is a new favorite cider. Takes significantly less sugary than Angry Orchard. Crispin is another good one.
Brandon Matzek says
Hey Kelli! I’ll have to give Bold Rock a try. I actually don’t find Angry Orchard to be too sugary. The Crisp Apple Hard Cider has a really good balance between sweet and tart.
Joyce @ Sun Diego Eats says
These sound SO good! Love the cider and all the spices here 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Joyce!!
averie @ averie cooks says
These look amazing! Anytime I can have booze + sugar in one bite, I am super happy!
Brandon Matzek says
Haha me too!! Thanks Averie 🙂
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Hmmmm… the process still terrifies me. I’m just not good at monitoring things. But I’m always happy to receive caramels! 🙂 Maybe I’ll get over my fear one of these days. If anyone can inspire me, it’s you. Hope you two have a great holiday!!!
Brandon Matzek says
Aww thanks Brian! Making caramel can be daunting at first, but with a little practice, it becomes a lot easier. Give it a try sometime! Happy Holidays to you and your fam 🙂
Tara says
These caramels look incredible! I love the addition of the hard cider and all of those spices. So perfect for the season.
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Tara!!
Christina | Christina's Cucina says
This is so funny as I just had a bottle of this cider with our British dinner the other day! LOVE Angry Orchard ciders! Who would have thought about making caramel with it, though!? Genius!
Meg | Meg is Well says
I can only imagine how good the kitchen would smell! This is such a good idea and I’m totally with you on craving the salty-sweet holiday combo! I love adding coarse sea salt to desserts and sprinkling Fleur de sel on top of caramels would have me continually reaching for them.
Brandon Matzek says
It smells SO good! Thanks Meg!
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
I’ve been wanting to try Angry Orchard ciders but haven’t yet thinking they may be too sweet. But warming them with the spices sounds perfect..Think I will be trying this in the near future 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
I really like Angry Orchards Crisp Apple flavor – not too sweet. Thanks!
Shareena Casterline says
Love your pictures!!!