Keep it Local
One of the perks of living in a rural area is that orchards and farms are everywhere. Why buy seasonal products at the market when you can support your community businesses? These people work tirelessly each year to grow our food and often rely on sales from the fall harvests to sustain them for another growing year. Aside from being an enjoyable visit, I prefer to buy my apples and cider locally because I know it’s fresh and it helps keep business growing in my community.
Seasonal Treats
The holiday season is upon us, which means many of us start baking all our fall favorites. In addition to the traditional requests, I like to try new recipes or tweak an old one. If you are looking for a new way to use apple cider this year, consider making caramels. Instead of using sugar, this recipe calls for honey. Not only is honey better for you, but it can be found at your local orchard or food stand. It’s quite easy to make and you can jazz it up for gift-giving. The first time I made caramels, I made the mistake of not wrapping them individually. They tasted great, but I had to pry them apart because the cut pieces melted back into each other. I kept the blob in the refrigerator and discovered I liked them that way. They initially resembled hard candy but soon melted in your mouth to make for a chewy treat. It wasn’t a total loss because I got to enjoy the whole batch myself! I call that mishap a win for sure.
Apple Cider Caramels
1 cup apple cider
1 stick salted butter
1 cup local honey
½ teaspoon cinnamon
A pinch of allspice if desired
Sea salt for sprinkling if desired
Pour the apple cider into a saucepan and bring to boil. Add butter and continue stirring until melted. Stir in honey and spices.
Cook while stirring frequently until mixture reaches 255-260 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer.
Pour mixture in an 8×8 baking pan lined with parchment paper and let cool. Mixture can be chilled in the refrigerator to set faster and cut more easily.
Lift out parchment paper and cut into individual pieces before wrapping each one in waxed paper. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
Keep stored in glass container or in the refrigerator if you prefer them to be a bit harder before they start melting in your mouth. So good!
