this is one of two recipes that i tested this week, and also one of two recipes that, upon tasting, had me turning to my dog, shouting “i’m amazing!” and concluding that it was blog-ready without any changes needing to be made, despite having been tested only once. not tryna toot any horns or anything, but sometimes you need that little reminder that you’re good at the things you’re good at.

these caramels are inspired by a wonderful recipe from tara o’brady’s seven spoons. the recipe is for “spiced candied nuts” and is one of those things where, after you’ve got everything safely in the oven, you’re inevitably going to stick a finger or a spoon into what’s left in the pan of the sweet, spicy mixture and then continue doing so until the pan is so well cleaned out that you don’t even need to wash any dishes, probably!!! (first of all, proceed with extreme caution when sticking fingers into hot caramel. and second of all, you should maybe still wash those dishes)

and anything this incredibly lick-the-bowl worthy should obviously be made into a concentrated version of itself so as to be enjoyed with something like a little less guilt, or at least with a feeling rarely found elsewhere in adulthood, that you’re doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing and all is right with the world. too much of a good thing? never heard of it.

-kara

5.0 from 1 reviews
spiced rosemary caramels
 
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adapted from seven spoons by tara o'brady
Author:
Ingredients
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp cayenne
  • ½ tsp dried rosemary
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) butter
  • 3 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
  • sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
  1. line a 9x5 or 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray. combine the salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger,cayenne, and rosemary in a small bowl. mix well.
  2. melt sugar and butter over medium heat in a medium, saucepan. stir in corn syrup and condensed milk.
  3. bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until it has reached a light golden color. (this took about 13 minutes for me, but the time may vary depending on your altitude and your stove, so the most important thing is to watch for the color)
  4. remove the pan from heat, pour in the spice mixture, and mix thoroughly. pour into the prepared pan in an even layer and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. allow to cool completely, then cut into squares and wrap in individual candy wrappers or place into a wax paper lined container.

spiced rosemary caramels