Why did the Millionaire Bars have runny caramel center

Probably will not use this recipe again but would like to understand what went wrong. I saw this recipe in Rural Missouri Coop, the middle layer calls for 2-11oz packages unwrapped caramels and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Stir together, heat over melting style flame until combined and melted then pour over cool short bread layer. The caramel was allowed to firm in fridge as suggested but it never stayed firm. It ran out of the middle when placed on plate making the bars stick to gather and messy. I would appreciate any tips on making treats like this.

N
  • Posted by: N
  • December 21, 2022
  • 1061 views
  • 1 Comment

1 Comment

Lori T.
Lori T. December 22, 2022
I believe your problem is due to the caramel not being cooked to a high enough temperature for long enough to thicken properly. Most of the recipes that call for cooking a sugary filling like the caramel by a clock time will lead to varied results. What I would recommend is using a candy thermometer instead- and cooking the caramel mix until it reaches between 230 and 245F. That's the range that gets you either soft or firm ball results, and you would choose which you prefer. For this sort of thing, I'd aim for the 245, which would be a caramel that could be cut, but would not ooze much. But you could decide that for yourself after a few trial batches. In the future, when you make candy it is really best to cook by thermometer and temperature.
 
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