Dec. 14, Week 10

Ah, caramels! Every year my husband stands and stirs the rich, buttery candy until it turns amber in color and is just the right temperature to pour into a huge pan. Then we let it set up for two days before cutting it and checking to see if it was made to our standards! Luckily, we have had few variations thought the years, although the weather can make a difference in the final chewiness. This batch turned out perfectly.

This week each CSB member gets to take home a sample box of assorted caramel-themed goodies. Included are:

~Smoked Sea Salt Caramels: These have become an annual tradition for us, after I received some smoked sea salt one year from my sister and wondered what to do with it (now I use it in all sorts of things). Chewy caramel covered in organic dark chocolate from Lille Belle Farms in Central Point, OR, with a touch of smoked sea salt on top.

~Pecan Clusters: Pecan halves with caramel and dark chocolate, topped with a sprinkle of Oregon sea salt.

~Butter Caramels: A generous rectangle of chewy caramel wrapped in wax paper.

~Caramel-Wrapped Marshmallows: Our handmade chewy caramel wrapped around freshly made vanilla marshmallow.

Also included are a few treats that have the caramel baked into them:

~Caramel-Rum Squares: A crumb-topped bar cookie that has strong notes of rum enhancing the caramel filling. This treat happens to be 100% whole grain!

~Choco-Caramel Crinkles: My own original recipe, starting with a fudgy chocolate cookie dough that's wrapped around caramel, rolled in powdered sugar and baked. The result is a chewy, delicious treat with a soft caramel center and crinkly appearance. A seasonal favorite of my family's!

Store all of these treats at room temperature. Do NOT refrigerate them, or the caramel will be very difficult to chew. Enjoy!