The Taste of Fall

As the leaves turn their magnificent fall colors—brilliant gold, burnt orange, deep red—there’s nothing more warming than a hot cup of apple cider. Redolent with traditional spices of cinnamon and clove (with an occasional hint of ginger or cardamom), this distinctly fall beverage perfectly captures the apple harvest in our area.

 

But apple cider isn’t just for drinking. It also makes a delicious caramel that is easy, albeit a bit time consuming, to make. I happened across an Instagram post from the Smitten Kitchen blog with a drool-worthy picture of said caramels. What I liked about the recipe, aside from the flavor profile, is that it uses fresh, local apple cider. Right now…especially right now…we are trying to support our small local merchants and farmers, so what better way than to buy some fresh unfiltered apple cider and make these treats?

 

The process is simple and doesn’t require any fancy tools or pans, although a candy thermometer does help immensely. The time-consuming part of the recipe is boiling down the apple cider until it is almost syrupy. Going from 4 cups of cider to 1/2 cup takes 30-45 minutes. You don’t have to stand and watch it. Just stir now and then. As it gets close to the end, it’s wise to hover a bit, so it doesn’t burn. But once you have your concentrate, you add the main ingredients, stir and boil until it hits about 252 degrees. Really, it’s just that easy.

 

When you take it off the heat you hit the mixture with a bit of cinnamon and flaky sea salt, which really makes the caramel pop. (I’m sure you could eliminate both and they would still be out of this world, but why mess with perfection?) Pour into your prepared pan and refrigerate until hard. Then enjoy the goodness. And while you’re at it, why not double recipe and spread the wealth? I shared with all my neighbors, to help ease the pain of celebrating Thanksgiving in isolation. 

 

Note: If you don’t have access to fresh unfiltered apple cider from a local grower, most supermarkets carry unfiltered apple cider (NOT juice), which has been pasteurized and bottled and is shelf-stable.

 

Recipe after the jump…

Apple Cider Caramels (from Smitten Kitchen)

3 cups unfiltered apple cider

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1 cup grandulated sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup heavy cream

 

Boil the apple cider in a 3- to- 4- quart saucepan over high heat until it is reduced to a dark, thick syrup, between 1/3 and 1/2 cup in volume. Stir occasionally.

 

Meanwhile, get your other ingredients in order, because you won’t have time to spare once the candy is cooking. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch straight-sided square metal or glass baking pan with 2 long sheets of crisscrossed parchment. Set it aside. Stir the cinnamon and flaky salt together in a small dish.

 

Once you’re finished reducing the cider, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, sugars, and heavy cream. Return the pot to medium-high heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side, and let it boil until the thermometer reads 252 degrees, only about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it. (If you don’t have a candy or deep- fry thermometer, you can use a bowl of very cold water and drop a tiny spoonful into the water. If it becomes firm, chewy, and able to be plied into a ball, it’s ready.)

 

Immediately remove caramel from heat, add the cinnamon/salt mixture, and give the caramel several stirs to distribute it evenly. Pour caramel into the prepared pan. Place iin the fridge until firm. Pull out the parchment paper sling and transfer the block of caramel to a cutting board. Using a very sharp knife, cut the caramels into 1x1-inch squares. (If you find your knife sticking, oil it lightly before each cut with a neutral oil, like corn or vegetable.)

 

Wrap each one in a 4-inch square of waxed paper*, twisting the sides to close. Caramels will be somewhat on the soft side at room temperature, and chewy/firm from the fridge.

 

Yield: 64 caramels

 

*I really like these Confectionery Twisting Wax Papers. They are the perfect size and I don’t have to sit and cut a zillion pieces of wax paper.