A lawyer may say the broad definition of weakness is a special fondness or inclination. The narrow definition however, is much more interesting. The same lawyer would tell you that narrow definitions are what laws are generally based off of. The narrow definition of weakness is: A penchant for something that may not be good for you that you cannot generally refuse in your natural state of mind.
So, what’s your weakness?
Mine is beer. When it comes to beer I don’t generally discriminate unless it’s froo froo flavored. I like light beer, dark beer, amber colored beer, pale ales, lagers, microbrews, Belgium beers, German beers, and Irish Beers. My favorite beer is Scottish Beer. Innis & Gunn Rum Cask to be exact. It is the best beer I have ever tasted.
So, when I was thinking about what fun gifts for foodies people could make for Christmas, I knew I wanted to use this beer. Since it’s aged in a rum cask it already has a caramel flavor, and what is beers best accompaniment? Pretzels. Enter Beer Pretzel Caramels.
One more note: I know how intimidating making caramel can be for the novice cook, so I decided to develop a recipe that includes a backup plan. This recipe has been tested numerous times and I assure you, it’s foolproof. You can substitute your favorite beer or the favorite beer of the person you’re making it for, but I will not vouch for the taste. For the best results, use Innis & Gunn Rum Cask.
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 12 oz. bottle of Innis & Gunn Rum Cask
- 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup crushed thin pretzels
- sea salt
- candy thermometor
- parchment paper
- In a large pot, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat.
- When incorporated, add corn syrup and beer stir until the mixture comes together.
- Add the condensed milk and stir continuously until the mixture reaches 340 degrees, about 15-20 minutes. The caramel will be boiling, this is supposed to happen, just keep stirring.
- Pour into a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle crushed pretzels on top, or swirl them in if you’d rather them be inside, note that they will be softer if incorporated into the mixture.
- Sprinkle sea salt on top
- Let cool for about two hours or until *set. Cut into 1×1 inch pieces and wrap with parchment paper.
- Gift them in the bottle, or serve them on the side as a holiday treat
- *if they don’t set after two hours, you can cook them in the oven for 45 minutes on 350, then let them cool again. This is a great backup if you don’t have a candy thermometer.
*I was provided samples of Rum Cask to develop this recipe by Innis & Gunn. All views expressed in this post are my own.