Pumpkin Ale & Pretzel Caramels

The thing that’s going to add the most beer flavor to these caramels is to reduce some of the ale to a syrup. So begin by simmering 1 cup of the ale in a small saucepan for about 20 minutes. You want to end up with about 2 teaspoons of ale “extract.” Take the pan off of the heat and set it aside.

Line a 13 by 9-inch pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment.

Combine the rest of the beer, sugars, butter, cream and corn syrup in a large pot. Cook over medium heat while stirring occasionally. The mixture will come to a boil. Continue to heat until a candy thermometer reads 245°F. This will take about 1/2 hour. You can test the readiness of your caramel by dropping a bit of it into a bowl of ice water. If it’s ready, it will form a small ball.

When you have reached the correct temperature and consistency, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and the ale syrup. Carefully pour the caramel into your prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with the chopped pretzels and a little bit of sea salt if desired.

Let the caramel cool at room temperature for at least 3 hours before cutting. Wrap each caramel with parchment paper or Saran wrap immediately when cut so that they will hold their shape.

Recipe inspired by and adapted from The Food Network.