Saturday Suds: Salted Beer Caramels

This week’s Saturday Suds focuses on salted beer caramels. Have you ever had them? They’re delicious! Here at Shore Craft Beer, we are always looking to try new things and these tasty treats fit the bill perfectly.

The Recipe

Our recipe comes courtesy of Craftbeer.com, who got it from Becky’s Blissful Bakery, which is located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The caramels were not difficult to make; the only recommendation I have is to make sure you keep whisking thoroughly so as not to burn the mixture or the milk when you add it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 12 oz. bottle of your favorite beer (We used Flying Fish Salt and Sea Beer)
• Sea salt
• Optional garnish: pretzels

First, melt the butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan on medium heat.

Next, add the beer and make sure you’re stirring constantly. After you’ve put in the beer, next add in the syrup; keep stirring.

Once the syrup has been mixed in, go ahead and mix in the milk, all while stirring constantly.

In addition, make sure to cook the caramels to 240°F. Stir constantly, as you don’t want to burn the milk.

After the mixture reaches 240°F (you can use a candy thermometer, which is recommended), remove pan from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Then, pour the mixture onto a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. The recommended dimensions are 9″ x 13″.

Sprinkle the sea salt on top of the caramels evenly, and leave the finished product to set. For faster cooling times, you can put it in the refrigerator or your freezer.

While not required (but highly recommended!), you could place small, hard pretzels on the still-warm caramel mixture to give it some extra pizzaz.

The mixture will naturally firm, and afterwards, you can cut the caramels into whatever size you so desire.

While Flying Fish Salt and Sea Beer was used for these confections, any one of your favorite beers will do!

Are you going to make these amazing treats for your holiday party or your next get-together? If the answer is yes, please comment and share a picture (along with the name of the beer you used) of the finished product to show the world your culinary talent!