Aglarien's Ramblings

I love this recipe. These are melt in your mouth good.

Homemade Caramels

🛒 Ingredients :
(1 Can) Sweetened Condensed Milk
(2 Cups) Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed
(2/3 Cup) Unsalted Butter, cubed
2 Tablespoons Liquid Glucose or Light Corn Syrup
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1.5 Teaspoons Flaky Sea Salt
👩‍🍳 Easy Steps :
🥣 Prep and Combine
- Line an 8x8 inch square baking tin with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, and glucose syrup over low heat.
🍳 Cook to Stage
- Stir continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved and the butter has melted into a smooth liquid.
- Increase heat to medium-low and bring to a gentle simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches the "soft-ball" stage (115°C/238°F) and turns a deep amber.
🔥 Finish and Fold
- Remove the pan from the heat and vigorously stir in the vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of the sea salt flakes.
- Continue to beat the mixture with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes until it loses its high-gloss shine and starts to feel thick and heavy.
🍽️ Set and Serve
- Pour the warm fudge into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with a spatula, and sprinkle the remaining sea salt flakes over the surface.
- Allow the fudge to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until completely set before slicing into neat squares with a sharp, warm knife.
💡 Beginner Tips :
- To achieve a creamy texture rather than a grainy one, ensure the brown sugar is fully dissolved before the mixture begins to simmer.
- Avoid "scraping" the sides of the pan too aggressively while pouring the mixture into the tin, as any crystallized sugar on the sides can cause the whole batch to become grainy.
- For the best flavor profile, use a high-quality flaky sea salt (like Maldon) rather than standard table salt to provide that specific textural crunch.

28. Do you own many notebooks? What do you use them for?

I don’t think I’m exaggerating to say I have about 30 of them in my office. I collect notebooks , pens, and pencils for writing. I take them on trips, for using around the house, and one is always in my oxygen backpack. You never know when you’ll need one. I use them for story ideas, journal type input, and anything else I can think of.

How many do you have? How many pens? Or pencils?