Black Licorice Caramels

Yummy!!!!  If you love black licorice like I do (I always pick out the black jelly beans first) you're going to love these.  You can satisfy your black licorice craving by making your own.  This is actually a caramel, so soft and yummy.  To make caramels instead use 2 cups brown sugar in place of the white sugar, don't add food coloring or anise.

You will need a candy thermometer.

1 cup butter (not margarine)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black food coloring
2 teaspoons anise extract or 1 1/2 teaspoon anise oil

Butter a 9 x 13 pan for the finished licorice.  In a heavy sauce pan on a low heat melt butter.  Add sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and corn syrup, increase heat slowly.  Stir continually, bring to a boil.  Boil till firm ball or 234 degrees.  Remove from heat, stir a minute longer.  Stir in black food coloring and anise extract.  Pour into the buttered 9 x 13 pan.  Allow to cool.  (I let mine cool over night.)  Using a knife or scissors cut into 3/4 inch strips, lift out of the pan.  Then cut into 6ths, wrap in wax paper.  I cut my wax paper into 3 x 5 1/2 rectangles.  This recipe makes a lot, they're fun to share, no one can believe you can make black licorice.

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