The holiday baking is underway!

Look at you Ms. Martha Stewart. -- Friend

Since getting married two years ago, I've hosted an annual baking fest with friends. We all bake a few dozen cookies or treats and share them with each other. This year, I'm not hosting such an event. My kitchen is too small. I may be going it alone, but I'm ramping up this year's baking efforts and I'm spreading my baking throughout the month of December so I don't get burned out in one weekend.

The holiday baking commenced yesterday evening with caramels. I have fond, fond memories of these homemade caramels. I attended a private Catholic elementary school, and every December we'd have a program called Advent Angels. We picked a classmate's name out of a hat, and for four weeks, we were his/her Advent Angel. We occasionally brought goodies like candy and cards and maybe even a note. Usually on the last day before Christmas break, we revealed ourselves as Advent Angels and gave a bigger gift of $5 to $10. I recall my sixth grade year when I got lots and lots of homemade caramels, and I fell in love with them. I love the gooey goodness and sweetness of them. I continue to find them at holiday parties and cookie exchanges. But they've always had an air of mystery for me. Like how does one make these caramels? And can someone like me, a mortal, make them?

Well, I apparently can. I whipped up a batch last night. Cooking the caramels was easy. It was cutting and wrapping them that took me almost two hours. Two hours. But they were well worth it. I have a container full of caramels in the fridge, keeping cool. I plan to give them away as gifts (I recommend others on a budget do the same) in cute containers and take the rest home for Christmas. And you can do the same. Here's the recipe:

Melt in the Mouth Caramels

Makes about 2 1/2 pounds

1 cup butter or margarine
1 pound brown sugar (equals about 2 1/4 cups)
Dash salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add brown sugar and salt. Stir until thoroughly combined. Stir in corn syrup and mix well. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir over medium heat until candy reaches firm ball stage or 245 degrees on candy thermometer. Stir for about 12 to 15 min.

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Pour into a buttered 9 inch square pan. Cool (for about two hours) and cut into squares.

Recipe from a 1974 cookbook