Quote Originally Posted by Karen View Post
I can help eliminate the "Set aside a small sample on the kitchen table when you have a feeling that the caramel is ready cooked."

Get a glass of cold water, and drop a bit of the caramel from the spoon into the water - if it forms a ball on the way to the bottom, and just flattens a bit when it hits, you are at "soft ball stage." If it flattens completely, keep cooking!
I use a spoon resting on an ice cube. If it cools and feels correct, it's done.