Licorice Caramels

Yield 50 to 60 Caramels

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 – 14- ounce sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups light corn syrup
• ¾ teaspoon black food past coloring
• ¾ teaspoon anise oil or anise flavoring

Slowly melt butter in heavy large pan. Use fork to swirl butter up sides of pan to prevent sugar crystals. When melted, add rest of ingredients, except food paste and flavoring.

Turn heat to medium- medium high, cook and stir constantly with flat bottom wooden spoon. (Do not cook on high, stir the whole time) Cook to 234 degrees. Remove from heat; add food paste and flavoring and mix in. Pour into 9 by 13 inch pan that has been buttered.

Let sit overnight in a cool place, Cut into squares and wrap in waxed paper

Hint
For great caramel apples, omit black food paste and anise oil, and add 2 teaspoon vanilla.