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| Pumpkin Caramels From Food Network Kitchens Overall User Rating:  |
Help?
12/20/2006 at 06:29pm
User: Jessica from New Boston, NH User Rating:
Well, I've tried making these two times, and each time they never set up. Too soft to cut... kind of gooey. I even tried cooking the mixture, with the pumpkin, up to the firm ball temperature on the second try, but still no luck. I'm so sad -- it smells so good! Other folks have seemed to have no trouble at all. Maybe bringing the mixture all the way up to hard ball stage would do the trick?? Can I throw it all back in the pot and reheat it, or is it too late? Maybe my candy thermometer's no good. Argh.
Pumpkin Caramels
12/03/2006 at 03:53pm
User: Anonymous User Rating:
Flavor was very good - you can definitely taste the pumpkin. These went over very well at a Christmas party. As a result of the pumpkin, these do not have a perfectly silky smooth texture like plain caramels. The recipe is a bit flawed - cooking it to soft ball stage only (the final step) was not sufficient. The caramels were far too soft to hold a shape, even after well cooled. I threw it all back in the pot and brought it to firm ball stage. That did the trick. Overall, a yummy recipe. For those who complain about how long it took - you are making homemade candy. Of course it will take awhile. Read through a recipe beforehand and figure out how long it will take you to do each step. Don't simply trust the summary.
Delicious and Simple
11/25/2007 at 07:48pm
User: ANGIE from Chicago, IL User Rating:
I had no trouble at all with this recipe's instructions and the caramels set up perfectly. I used sunflower seeds instead of pepitas and they're the perfect foil to the rich, soft caramel. These turned out so well that I'm going to make several batches of these and give them as holiday gifts to my co-workers. Perhaps the others who had troubles had problems with their candy thermometers? It's important to check them from time to time.
Take me away
11/13/2007 at 06:10pm
User: Anonymous User Rating:
it was good
Great Taste
11/05/2007 at 03:52pm
User: Debbie from Mukilteo, WA User Rating:
My co-workers loved these caramels. I had a tough time getting them to set properly, so I froze them and they were great.
Delicious but a sticky mess
10/31/2007 at 07:47pm
User: Anonymous User Rating:
I had such high hopes for this recipe despite the mixed reviews. My issue wasn't with the prep/time allotment as most recipes take longer than the stated time. Couldn't find dark corn syrup so substituted with molasses. Otherwise, followed recipe to a tee. It would have been helpful for recipe to include set time. I allowed it to cool to room temp (about 5 hours) and found it too soft, so I covered the pan with foil and refrigerated overnight, hoping it would harden. Flavor is outstanding (reminiscent of traditional Korean yut candy). But the candy never set as per other reviewers and was super gooey. Still, I wrapped the rolls in parchment paper hoping that it would continue to set. Few hours later, I unwrapped to find it a sticky spread out mess...but tasty.
CookingTime?
10/30/2006 at 11:14am
User: Anonymous User Rating:
The estimate for how long it will take to make these is obviously wrong. It would be great if these estimates could actually be useful. There is no time alloted for how long it will take to cool, and measuring all these ingredients and preparing a pan obviously takes longer than five minutes. What about the time it take to toast pumpkin seeds? Maybe you are supposing there are leftover toasted pumpkin seeds, but even so... come on! Do you not have to take time to locate the items in the kitchen before you measure them? That's called preparation time and it counts. Then there's the time to lay out the wax paper and cut the squares. I'm not walking out the door with this treat after 35 minutes, am I?! It's misleading, and useless information to include if you aren't going to be realistic about it, don't you think?
Questions
10/29/2007 at 04:59pm
User: Elizabeth from Modesto, CA User Rating:
I made the caramels on 10-26-07. This was my first attempt at making candy. The first stage I could get the caramel up to the correct temperature, but after adding the pumpkin it was really hard to get it to the correct temperature. The caramel set but it was really soft and sticky. Most of the people that tried it didn't like the pumpkin seed texture. Maybe shelled pumpkin seeds would have been better.
Not to easy, but interesting
10/27/2007 at 07:37pm
User: Anonymous User Rating:
quantities small so that all my thick bottomed pans were too big - only the very tip of my candy thermometer was covered. Also, like a previous reviewer, the pumpkin burns easily trying to get it back up to temp. Otherwise, everything went well, had no problem setting up and it was the consistency I like for carmels, buttery, soft and chewey.
Delicious !!
10/25/2007 at 01:55am
User: Anonymous User Rating:
I read the reviews before making these and made some adjustments. The candy turned out perfectly. I did use almonds instead of pumpkin seeds and everyone loved them. I brought the temperature to 255-260 and it set up perfectly. Be sure to butter wax paper to avoid sticking. The house smelled like Thanksgiving!!!
A HUGE Hit!
10/25/2006 at 08:55pm
User: Anonymous User Rating:
I'm on a pumpkin roll. . . It started with Pumpkin Waffles, then we used the waffles to make ice cream sandwiches, then I made Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting. You's think that by the time I got to Pumpkin Caramels, everyone in the family (and even some of the neighbors) would be sick of pumpkin. Not so. I was immediately intrigued by this recipe, and then perplexed by the inclusion of pumpkin pie spice, lemon juice, and canned pumpkin in a CARAMEL recipe. In the end, this was one of the simplest and most rewarding confections to come from my kitchen. I started a double batch before realizing I only had enough maple syrup for one, so I substituted dark corn syrup for the rest. I added a bit more salt, to suit my taste, and I used pecans instead of pepitas or sunflower seeds. Next time I think I'll stir in the nuts. As is, they do stay crisp, but they're left in a dry layer on the bottom of the caramel.
these were so good!!
10/23/2006 at 03:55pm
User: Anonymous User Rating:
i love caramel and pumkin!! these were a hit in my house!
disappointing
10/22/2007 at 11:37pm
User: D from Kansas City, MO User Rating:
Things started off well, got to the first temp point ok. After adding the pumpkin, however, I couldn't get the mixture hot enough without burning it -- and I've never burned anything in my heavy steel pans before. Finally, after changing pans and cooking it over an HOUR I got the temp up to 148+ and gave up there. The final result is tasty, but too soft. I don't know if I'd try this again, the pumpkin puree is too susceptible to burning. Maybe as plain caramel with pumpkin seeds it would work better.
Tricky, but tasty
10/22/2007 at 01:02pm
User: Deana from Lincoln, NE User Rating:
This was such a pain to get right. I made 3 batches in 3 different pans on 2 different stoves before finally getting it to work and what finally worked for me may not work for you. I used a non-stick pan (NOT stainless, heavy bottomed-they didn't work for me), and did everything as directed but 248 degrees wasn't warm enough to get the caramel to set. So I put the block back into the pan the next day and heated it back up to ~270 and mixed everything together (used chopped pecans instead of pumpkin seeds) and when I checked it the next day it was firm and tasted good. If I make it again it should be a piece of cake but there is a lot of trial and error involved with this recipe, I think.
good idea, not so good outcome
10/21/2007 at 09:19pm
User: Anonymous User Rating:
It sounded fantastic, but I could not get the caramel to the soft ball stage with the pumpkin and in the end the pumpkin and caramel weren't such a great combination of flavors.
Delicious!!!!
10/21/2007 at 04:51pm
User: Kerri from Dexter, MO User Rating:
What a TREAT!!! I will say this: Make absolutely SURE your temps reach the appropriate levels in order to ensure the candy sets up. I got a bit impatient and pulled my pot off the heat a little before 248 degrees before adding the pumpkin and it never set and I cooled it all night. So I put it back in the pot the next morning and cooked it to the required temp and it set up perfectly. I then cut it and wrapped the squares in waxed paper. They ARE addicting!! Your house will smell heavenly!
Great Fall Treat!
10/06/2006 at 10:28am
User: Anonymous User Rating:
These were wonderful and not difficult at all. Best of all, they made my house smell like caramel and pumpkin pie when the caramel was cooking.