Caramel lovers celebrate their favorite treat on National Caramel Day each year. Observed on April 5th, this versatile confection adds delicious, creamy flavor to desserts, pastries, and candies.
Caramels are made by adding milk and fat to a sugary syrup that has been heated and continuously stirred until it reaches a light brown color. As early as the seventeenth century, American women used caramelized sugar and water to make candies. Since it was an economical candy to produce, it found its way into many recipes. Around the year 1850, someone discovered that adding milk and a fat product to the cooked sugar mixture resulted in a soft, chewy candy. It should be no surprise how quickly soft caramel became popular.
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