Recipe: Hazelnut Coffee Caramels

Hazelnut Coffee Caramels

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
3/4 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
2 TBS instant espresso coffee (dry)
1 TBS hazelnut syrup (coffee flavoring)
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

Line square pan, 8x8x2 inches, with aluminum foil, leaving 1 inch of foil overhanging at 2 opposite sides of pan. Butter foil that lines bottom and sides of pan. Sprinkle hazelnuts in pan.

Heat butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, coffee, hazelnut syrup and milk to boiling in heavy 3 qt saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frenquently, to 245 degrees on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water forms a firm ball. Pour into pan; cool.

Remove mixture from pan, using foil edges to lift. Cut into 8 rows by 6 rows, separating caramels as they are cut. garnish with chocolate covered coffee beans. Wrap pieces individually in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Makes 4 dozen.

Pam