Pretzel Ale Caramels

Fate.

Fate is when you take the wrong turn and head frantically down the opposite direction of a one-way street into oncoming traffic and hastily pull into the first available parking lot to ensure your own safety.

Fate is when you pull into said parking lot and find a mysterious and foreboding store that reminds you of a Bed, Bath and Beyond, if Bed, Bath and Beyond was privately owned and operated out of a creepy one-story cinder-block nightmare in desperate need of new paint, and possibly code enforcement.

Fate is when you throw caution to the wind and step back into the 1970s for a bit as you walk into the store and scuff your feet on that nasty orange welcome mat.  Are the walls painted a soft yellow on purpose or is that just time and sunshine ruining perfectly good white walls?  It smells musty, like an attic. And, perfume.  Lots of perfume.  You know the kind you can smell at church on Sunday.  100 different grandmas wearing 100 different outdated brands in one enclosed space...

At 24, I am clearly the youngest person in this place.  And, looking around, I can tell that the luxury kitchen equipment and down comforters I would normally hunt for are not going to be found here.  Nope, brands like KitchenAid and Cuisinart are not going to be found on any shelf here.

It's almost like an antique fair.  And, I'm not into antiquing.

As I head for the door, feeling utterly embarrassed, I came across these rubber (maybe rubber?) candy molds.  I actually stopped for a minute to ponder whether this would be a good purchase or not.  I mean, I don't make candy.  The last time I did, I attempted to make maple candy using intuition instead of a candy thermometer.  That was brilliant.

But still, I had an overwhelming urge to pick them up.  There weren't any cool shapes or designs.  It kind of looked like ice cube trays of different sizes really.  But, in that moment, I decided to give candy-making another shot.

I walked to the counter like a teenager at a liquor store.  I almost thought they'd card me for being so young in such a store.  I know that's lame, but I really just wanted to make the purchase and get out of dodge.

I chose Pretzel Ale Caramels as my first candy-making adventure out of necessity.  I had pretzels and beer on hand.  So, I went for it.  They taste... weird.  But, in a surprisingly good way.  I mean, I just don't think I had a clear notion of what these would taste like, but they're really, really good.

Try 'em and see for yourself.



Pretzel Ale Caramels
(adapted from SprinkleBakes)

1 12 oz. bottle of ale (your choice)
2 cups sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup pretzel sticks, cut into 2-3 pieces each


Bring 1 cup of ale to a boil on medium, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes to concentrate.  Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup ale, sugars, butter, milk and corn syrup in a large pot.  Cook on medium until a candy thermometer reaches 244F.  Stir in the ale syrup and pretzels.  Remove from heat.

Pour into greased molds.  You can also pour into a greased 9x9 pan.  You'll just have to cut them into individual pieces when they've cooled.

Refrigerate and let them firm up.  Make sure to wrap your caramels in plastic or wax paper to keep their shape.



Listening to:   Bobby Brown - My Prerogative