A few days ago someone from my Yahoo mini goat group posted this article about how goats are the trend of the season. http://news.instyle.com/2014/08/22/beauty-cleanser-ice-cream-goat-milk/ It does seem like goats are showing up on more and more Facebook posts, but that could be because I have lots of friends with goats. The article made me think I should be more creative with my goat milk soaps, lotions, ice cream, etc.
Feeling inspired, I decided to make goat milk caramels. Did you see the price on the caramels in the picture? It looked like you got no more than 4 or 5 caramels for $8.00. I wanted my candies to be made with strictly goat cream and butter, no store bought butter for me, by golly. I began with 3 1/2 gallons of milk. First I had to warm the milk to 90 to 100 degrees because cream doesn't separate unless it's warm. From the 3 1/2 gallons of goat milk I got just over 1/2 a gallon of cream.
The cream has to be chilled to make butter so the caramels would have to wait, which I guess was good because I had grass to cut.
A few hours later I removed the 2 cups of cream I needed to make the caramels and used what cream was left to make the butter. It made quite a bit of very white butter. Much different than Raisa's butter.
Here's the recipe I followed. http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-soft-chewy-caramel-candies-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-180832 I doubled the recipe. This was not specifically for goat milk caramels but I hoped it would work even though I wasn't using commercial cream and butter. I haven't made much candy in the past so I got a little impatient waiting for the temperature to reach the soft cook stage.
Finally it got darker in color and reached the 245 to 250 degrees when I could quit. My hand was so hot holding the candy thermometer. I didn't have one of those instant read digital ones. If I was to make these more often I might buy a digital thermometer.
I'm pleased to say it was a success and they're delicious. I especially like the ones I sprinkled with sea salt.
Will I make them again? I think so. If someone will pay me, let's see....this recipe made about 100 candies. That would be about $160.00 worth of candy. You bet I'd make them. Place your order below. Maybe if I make the sea salt and bourbon vanilla caramels I might sell a package or two. Those sound interesting. They're very time consuming to make so I can see why such a high price is put on them. I'm glad I made a double batch.
Next I need to attempt to make the bath truffles and cappraccino ice cream.
Feeling inspired, I decided to make goat milk caramels. Did you see the price on the caramels in the picture? It looked like you got no more than 4 or 5 caramels for $8.00. I wanted my candies to be made with strictly goat cream and butter, no store bought butter for me, by golly. I began with 3 1/2 gallons of milk. First I had to warm the milk to 90 to 100 degrees because cream doesn't separate unless it's warm. From the 3 1/2 gallons of goat milk I got just over 1/2 a gallon of cream.
A few hours later I removed the 2 cups of cream I needed to make the caramels and used what cream was left to make the butter. It made quite a bit of very white butter. Much different than Raisa's butter.
Next I need to attempt to make the bath truffles and cappraccino ice cream.
What will you take in trade? I don't have any money in my carmel account.
ReplyDeleteFor you, Susan, they're free.
ReplyDelete