Let me do you a favour

I'm going to preface this by saying I have amazing friends and family. I know I've said it before, but I feel it needs to be said again. You guys are incredible and I'm one lucky girl to have you all! A good few months back, I knew I wanted to make homemade caramel for our favours. It's a recipe I discovered online and it's been a hit around our house ever since! I enlisted a bridesmaid to help me cut the skirts after the jars had arrived, while I made coordinating buttons. 

Since caramel is a perishable item I couldn't make it until a week or so before the wedding. So after I got the Sears/fridge debacle sorted out and had a fridge to store said caramel in, another lovely bridesmaid came out to lend a hand. We had a great afternoon of cooking, jarring, and decorating the jars, along with a few surprise guests! 

A few notes from our experience: We made the caramel in double batches which had turned out badly for me previously, but this time worked out beautifully thanks to my awesome new pots. If you have old hand me down pots, make this in single batches, trust me. We had two pots going at the same time, a larger pot makes the batches go much faster since the simple syrup is a bit shallower and can reduce and caramelize faster. I used fleur de sel rather than plain old rock salt to bring out the flavour and add a little of that salty/sweet combo I love! Use good vanilla, not the artificial $1.99 stuff from the baking aisle at the grocery store. The Kirkland brand Madagascar vanilla at Costco is actually pretty decent!

   

Start with your line up of jars, and a handy dandy cappucino milk pot thingy for pouring. 

Next, look perplexed at the recipe since it's been a while since you've made it. Also be impressed by the new Gordon Ramsay pots that were a shower/wedding gift from the parents. Ooooh even cooking! They're amazing, I totally love them!!! They made such a huge difference, I didn't burn one batch of caramel! 

Next, make your simple syrup, let it caramelize, and then turn off the heat. 

Stand back when you add in the cream and whisk that caramel wearing an oven mitt because that's a lot of really hot steam that comes off that sucker. 

 Third degree burns are not sexy bridal accessories.

Enlist one cute bridesmaid to pour into jars as you get the next batch going. 

Don't forget to test for "quality control". Having a few apples on hand 

for dipping good health is a great idea. 

Make sure your lids are on tight!

A couple surprise guests pop by while they're in the neighbourhood 

and are put to work cutting twine, putting on skirts and tags, 

and are rewarded with a few samples. You guys are awesome! 

(Please ignore my hideous lack of make up. Clearly I forgot about the 

whole "photos for the blog" thing that morning!)

Finally the big moment! Ta daaa!!!! Homemade caramel favours! One tag says

"From our kitchen to your belly" and the other says "Love is sweet". 

Many thanks again to my caramel helper elves. You guys are amazing! T-minus eight days people!!!!