Apple Cider Caramels

One of the many wonderful flavors of Fall is apple cider.  Tart, flavorful, applerific!  I went looking for interesting cider recipes - and when I saw these caramels, I knew I'd have to make them.  Immediately!
This recipe is adapted from one by Elizabeth LaBau on About.com.  The resulting caramels are silky smooth and bursting with Autumn flavor.
This caramel would also be excellent thinned with a little cream and used as a dessert sauce.  Hmmm...there may be a cider caramel sundae in my future!

Apple Cider Caramels

Recipe About.com

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup apple cider concentrate (or 3 cups cider reduced to 1/2 cup) 

2/3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/16 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp lemon extract

*apple juice concentrate can be substituted for cider 

Directions:

1.  Line an 8" X 8" pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.

2.  Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat.  Stir in the cider concentrate, cream, sugar, corn syrup, water, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Bring the mixture to a boil.

3.  Cook, stirring often, until the mixture comes to 250°.  Remove the pan from the heat.

4.  Stir in the lemon extract.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

5.  Allow the caramel to cool completely.  Cut into bars or pieces.  Serve!

*Caramels can be wrapped in waxed paper (so they don't stick together).   Store in the refrigerator.