Licorice caramels

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 c Butter (not margarine)
2 c Sugar
14 oz Can (1-1/4 cups) sweetened -condensed milk
1 c Light corn syrup
1/8 ts Salt
1 ts Anise extract
1/2 ts Black or red coloring paste

Instructions:

A mild, unbelievably delicious licorice flavor. You'll find black

and red paste for coloring these candies in specialty and

cake-decorating stores. The black caramels also make great Halloween

treats-- Line a 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with foil extending foil over he edges of the pan. Butter the foil; set aside. In a heavy 3 quart saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the sugar sweetened condensed milk corn syrup and salt; mix well. Carefully clip a candy thermometer to side of the pan. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently; till candy thermometer registers 244; firm-ball stage. The mixture should boil at a moderate steady rate over entire surface. Reaching firm-ball stage should take 15 to 20 minutes. (Mixture scorches easily.) Remove from heat; remove candy thermometer from saucepan. Add anise extract and coloring stir to mix. Quickly pour candy without scraping into the buttered-foil-lined pan. Cool for several hours or till firm. Use foil to lift candy out of pan onto cutting board. Peel foil away; discard. With a buttered sharp knife cut immediately into 1-inch squares; wrap individually in waxed paper. Makes 81 pieces (about 2-3/4 pounds) To wrap caramels: Tear off 6-inch strips of waxed paper; cut each strip into 4 inch widths making pieces 6 x 4 inches. Roll caramel in length of paper; fold flaps under. Set caramels into gift boxes with flaps underneath. The caramels will pack neatly and stay tightly wrapped. From: Better Homes and Gardens 1990 Best-Recipes Yearbook Shared By: Pat Stockett