Everyone at work knows I am a food and wine blogger.  At Christmas time, Judie, who I work with, brought me a tin of handmade caramels that she told me were a family heirloom.  Her Aunt Mary’s caramel recipe is loved by everyone in her family, but Judie is the only one to carry on the tradition of caramel-making.  Since the caramels were some of the best I have had, I implored her for the recipe, but alas, she would not part with it.

Come January, and my 40^th birthday, Judie brought me a mini gift bag with, to my surprise and joy, a copy of Aunt Mary’s Caramel recipe in it.  It is with Judie’s approval that I share the recipe with all of you.

Ingredients:

• 14-ounce can of condensed milk
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 sticks (½ pound) butter, divided
• Fleur de sel or gray salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Add the condensed milk, corn syrup, brown sugar, cider vinegar and one stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Once the mixture boils, reduce heat to medium-low and stir constantly for 12 minutes.
2. Add the remaining stick of butter and bring back to a boil.  Continue cooking at a boil for 13 minutes, or at soft ball stage ~ 245 – 250 degrees F.
3. Pour mixture into a buttered 8×8 or 7×10 metal pan and allow to cool overnight at room temperature.
4. Once cooled completely, unmold the caramel onto a cutting board, cut into 1” squares, sprinkle with gray salt (optional) and wrap in wax paper.

Yields about 65 caramel squares.

Notes:  Do not double the recipe.  Make sure you wear a mitt when pouring the hot liquid into the pan to prevent burns from any splattering.