Dana's Soft and Buttery Black Licorice Caramel Candy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make hard caramel into soft caramel? ›

If caramels are too hard, you can try placing them back in a saucepan, adding a couple tablespoons of water and stirring until the thermometer reads 242°F. Pour back into a prepared buttered pan. If caramels are too soft, that means the temperature didn't get high enough.

I ASKED an online candy company the difference between Australian black and Finnish black licorice. REPLY: “The difference is where it is from and also the texture. Australian Black is from Australia and Finnish Black is from Finland. The Finnish black has a smoother texture.”

Licorice root provides the pungent sweetness that black licorice likers love and others loathe. You won't find it in red licorice, and some black licorice candies use artificial flavors or anise oil, which has a similar flavor.

To melt caramels using a microwave, open up a bag of soft caramels, unwrap the individual candies, and place them in a microwave-safe dish. Next, add milk to the bowl, or if you'd like a richer treat, add heavy cream instead. Then, place the bowl in the microwave and heat the caramels on HIGH for 1 minute.

Temperature is key when making candy. The difference between a soft caramel and one that's hard and overcooked is all in the temperature. Candy thermometers—like this instant-read thermometer—let you know exactly what stage the caramel is in (thread, soft-ball, firm-ball, hard-ball, soft crack or hard crack).

If the caramel forms a pliable soft ball, for instance, it's around 240°F. If it forms a hard ball, it's between 250°F to 260°F, etc. Sometimes recipes will even use the descriptors below to specify the stage your caramel should be cooked to.

That country is The Netherlands! That's right, this European country boasts the highest per capita consumption of licorice in the world. Each of its citizens is reported to eat more than 4 pounds of licorice candy per year! That's a sweet record.

Licorice with glycyrrhizin may cause serious side effects. Too much glycyrrhizin causes a condition called pseudoaldosteronism, which can cause a person to become overly sensitive to a hormone in the adrenal cortex. This condition can lead to headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure, and even heart attacks.

There is not a specific “safe” amount, but people with high blood pressure or heart or kidney disease should avoid black licorice, which could worsen these conditions. For people over 40, the FDA says that more than two ounces a day for two weeks may be problematic and cause irregular heart rhythm or arrhythmia.

Are Twizzlers real licorice? ›

Yes, the original TWIZZLERS Twists are licorice because they include licorice extract. However, the most popular flavors like strawberry or cherry do not include licorice extract, so they are often referred to as licorice type candy. Are TWIZZLERS Twists a healthy snack?

Yes, particularly if you're over 40 and have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure, or both. Eating more than 57g (2 ounces) of black liquorice a day for at least 2 weeks could lead to potentially serious health problems, such as an increase in blood pressure and an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia).

In a deal that touches the taste buds of several generations, Kraft Foods Inc. will sell the business that makes its familiar cube-shaped caramels. An investment group made up of Texas Pacific Group of Fort Worth and InterWest Partners of Menlo Park, Calif. will buy the Kraft caramel and marshmallow businesses.

Instructions. Melt Werther's Original Caramels with half and half, salt and vanilla in medium saucepan over medium heat until smooth, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately with assorted fruit, cookie, pretzels, marshmallows, nuts or cubed pound cake.

Enjoy a sweet treat with Werther's Original Caramel Hard Candies. They melt smoothly in your mouth, leaving a buttery sweet taste that lingers.

Fixing crystallized sugar during caramelization

Your caramel can crystallize at two different points in time. First of all, it can do so when you try to caramelize it. It's actually quite common. If it happens, just add a little extra water, redissolve the sugar and continue going.

Microwave: Add caramel to a microwave safe bowl & melt the caramel on high for approximately one minute (60 seconds). Stir to make sure that the heat is evenly distributed then put the bowl back in the microwave on 50% power for another minute.