Gingerbread Caramels

Line a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If needed,  use a few dabs of corn syrup to keep the paper firmly in place. In a small bowl, whisk together ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt, cloves, and pepper until evenly combined; set aside.In a large pot (emphasis on large here – you want a pot at least twice the volume of the ingredients inside as the mixture will bubble up) combine cream, corn syrup, sugar, butter, and molasses. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-high and continue to boil, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches 246 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 30 to 40 minutes.Remove from heat; sprinkle spices over top of caramel, stirring until evenly incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Let sit at room temperature, uncovered, for 24 hours without disturbing.Lifting the caramel out of the pan using the parchment paper as a handle. Using a sharp knife or rotary cutter (lightly buttered or sprayed with cooking spray if needed), cut caramel into 1 1/4-inch strips, and then crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Wrap each piece individually in cellophane or waxed paper. Caramels can be stored up to 1 month in airtight containers.