Spice Up Your Holiday Meal With Sur La Table's Peppermint Caramels

STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Are you looking for a new holiday treat? Chef Vanessa DiStefano, from Sur La Table, stopped by KCAL9 Monday to talk about delicious holiday treats.

Peppermint Caramels:

This dessert, topped with crushed peppermint candies, is one of many versions of kola, a kind of semisoft toffee adored all over Sweden.

Makes 64 candies

4 oz. hard peppermint candies
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup superfine sugar
6 tbsp. golden syrup or dark corn syrup
3 tbsp. honey
5 tbsp. unsalted butter

Put peppermint candies into a plastic bag and crush them coarsely with the flat side of a meat mallet. Using a large sieve, sift candy pieces, discarding powder; set candy pieces aside.

Line the bottom of an 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper; grease parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Heat cream, sugar, syrup, and honey in a 2 qt. saucepan over medium heat; stir until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Bring to a boil and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan; cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 250°, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and add butter. Using a wooden spoon, stir until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Pour sugar mixture onto prepared baking pan and sprinkle evenly with peppermint candy pieces, pressing them lightly into toffee with the back of a spatula. Let cool completely; cut into 64 squares to serve.

For more information, visit Sur La Table.