Part Two

The Recipes

You are now ready to enter the world of making caramel — a delicious place to explore. You can make these recipes exactly as they appear or add your own touches to create your own signature flavors.

Candies, Brittle, and Toffee

Chewy Caramels

Yield: 25–45 pieces

These amazing caramels are perfectly chewy, with the rich taste of butter throughout. You’ll never buy a chewy caramel again.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, making sure that it extends by at least 2 inches over two opposite sides of the pan. Spray the parchment paper and then set the pan aside.
  2. 2. Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter melts. Stir in the salt and set the pan aside.
  3. 3. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to boil, brush the insides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Then reduce the heat to medium to keep the sugar mixture at a steady boil until it reaches between 250°F and 325°F, depending on your color preference. At 290°F, the caramels will be a deep amber color; the lower the temperature, the lighter the caramels. You can swirl the mixture around the pan, but do not stir.
  4. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and butter mixture. The mixture will bubble up quickly; keep whisking until it stops bubbling.
  5. 5. Return the pan to the stovetop. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 245°F to 250°F, 3 to 5 minutes.
  6. 6. Remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
  7. 7. Pour the caramel into the prepared baking dish. Let cool at room temperature for 2 to 8 hours.
  8. 8. Once it’s cooled, remove the entire block of caramel from the pan and set it on a cutting board. Cut into 1- by 2-inch pieces, or to your desired size. Wrap the caramels in pieces of waxed paper or special decorative candy wrappers. Store at room temperature; they’ll keep for about 2 weeks.

Salted Chocolate Caramels

Yield: about 60 pieces

Chocolate, milk or dark, has a way of elevating a simple, rich caramel. This is a bit of a fancier presentation than the basic chewy caramels. Rather then wrapping these caramels in waxed paper, you can cut them into squares and present them, if you’d like, in a gift box. This candy will be very popular with your friends and family, both for the great look of the gift and for the fabulous flavor of the chocolate caramels.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Spray a 10- by 15-inch jelly-roll pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, making sure that it extends by at least 2 inches over two opposite sides of the pan. Spray the parchment paper and then set the pan aside.
  2. 2. Combine the cream and chocolate in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until the chocolate melts. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner.
  3. 3. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to boil, brush the insides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Then reduce the heat to medium to keep the sugar mixture at a steady boil until it reaches 250°F. You can swirl the mixture around the pan, but do not stir.
  4. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and chocolate mixture. The contents of the pan will bubble up quickly; continue whisking until the bubbling stops.
  5. 5. Return the pan to the stovetop. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the temperature returns to 250°F.
  6. 6. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter and salt.
  7. 7. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. For a bigger salt flavor, if desired, sprinkle flaky sea salt onto the surface of the caramel as it’s starting to cool. It must still be warm, but not extremely hot. After you sprinkle on the salt, gently press it into the surface of the caramel so it will stick to it when the caramel has completely cooled.
  8. 8. Let the caramel cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Use a knife to make light marks on the surface of the caramel to identify your squares of candy. Do this across both sides, every 11/2 inches (or whatever size you’d like the candies to be). Then let the caramels finish cooling, up to 8 hours.
  9. 9. Once it’s cooled, remove the entire block of caramel from the pan and set it on a cutting board. Following your guide marks, cut the caramels into pieces. Store in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve them or package them as a gift.

Rolled Caramel Ganache Truffles

Yield: about 25 truffles

These truffles are made of ganache, the rich-tasting combination of heavy cream and chocolate — and, in this case, caramel — that so often is used as a delicious cake frosting. You can coat the truffles with cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut, or leave the exterior to its simple chocolate decadence.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.
  2. 2. Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter melts. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner.
  3. 3. Combine the sugar and water in a large heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to boil, brush the insides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Then lower the heat to medium to keep the sugar mixture at a steady simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, until the mixture turns amber in color, about 270°F. You can swirl the mixture around the pan, but do not stir.
  4. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and butter mixture. The contents of the pan will bubble up quickly; continue whisking until the bubbling stops, and then whisk in the salt and vanilla.
  5. 5. Pour the hot caramel over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth.
  6. 6. Pour the chocolate-caramel mixture into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and let cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes. Then refrigerate until the ganache thickens, about 1 hour. It might be too dense to scoop after it’s cooled in the refrigerator. If this happens, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature, or until it can easily be scooped.
  7. 7. When the ganache has cooled and thickened, line a baking sheet with waxed paper. With a teaspoon, scoop enough ganache to form a ball that’s about 1 inch in diameter. Then roll it between the palms of your hands to form the ball (it doesn’t need to be perfectly round). Try to work quickly because your body’s heat will start to melt the ganache a bit if you take too long. It’s fine if this happens, as the ganache will become firm again when it’s chilled. If desired, roll the truffle in cocoa powder, nuts, coconut, or your coating of choice. Place the truffle on the waxed paper. Repeat until you’ve rolled all the truffles.
  8. 8. Store the truffles in the fridge, where they will keep for 7 to 10 days.

Molded Chocolate Caramel Truffles with Sea Salt

Yield: about 45 truffles

Molded truffles are so elegant that your friends and family will be awed by your candy-making skills, patience, and generosity. Yes, these do take some time to prepare. But you’ll find that everyone’s appreciation of these candies makes them well worth the effort.

Molds come in almost unlimited sizes, but I prefer a 6- by 12-inch mold. The size of the cavity, which is what the ganache is poured into, is best at around 11/2 by 11/2 inches for a square truffle, or around 11/2 or 2 inches in diameter if it’s round. You don’t have to bring a tape measure with you when you buy your molds. Just think of the candies as being one or two bites each. It will be easier to remove the chocolates if you use a heavy-duty plastic mold rather than a silicone or light plastic mold.

Couverture chocolate is the best type of chocolate to use for the outside of the truffles because it contains a higher percentage of cocoa butter. This will produce a smoother and thinner texture, which makes it ideal for pouring and molding.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.
  2. 2. Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter melts. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner.
  3. 3. Combine the sugar and water in a large heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to boil, brush the insides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Then lower the heat to medium to keep the sugar at a steady boil for 7 to 8 minutes, until it turns amber in color, about 270°F. You can swirl the mixture around the pan, but do not stir.
  4. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and butter mixture. The contents of the pan will bubble up quickly; keep whisking until it stops bubbling, and then whisk in the salt and vanilla.
  5. 5. Pour the hot caramel over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth.
  6. 6. Pour the chocolate-caramel mixture into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Then refrigerate until the ganache thickens, 20 to 30 minutes.
  7. 7. While the ganache is cooling, melt and temper the couverture chocolate, following the instructions in How to Temper Chocolate.
  8. 8. With a ladle, fill the mold’s cavities with the tempered couverture chocolate. Once you’ve filled all the cavities, turn the mold upside down over the bowl that held the melted chocolate, pouring out the excess. Tap the side of the mold with your spatula’s handle to make sure no extra chocolate remains. There will be enough chocolate left on the inside of each of the mold’s cavities to form a cup. Scrape any drips or smears of chocolate off the top of the mold with a metal spatula. Place the mold in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens, 10 to 15 minutes.
  9. 9. With a teaspoon and, as necessary, your fingers, fill the cavities of the mold almost to the top with ganache. Return the mold to the refrigerator for 20 minutes to help the ganache filling become more firm and solid.
  10. 10. After the ganache fillings have firmed up, use a ladle to pour tempered couverture chocolate over each ganache filling. Tap the mold on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
  11. 11. Scrape any excess chocolate off the top of the mold with a metal spatula. Chill the mold in the refrigerator until the chocolate is solidly firm, about 20 minutes.
  12. 12. Once the chocolates are chilled, turn the mold upside down over a baking sheet, and firmly hit the front edge of the mold onto the countertop. The chocolates will then safely drop out of the molds.
  13. 13. Store the truffles in the refrigerator, where they’ll keep for 7 to 10 days. Let them rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Caramel Turtles

Yield: about 18 turtles

These are the best turtles I’ve ever had. They’re simply the Chewy Caramels with salted pecans and your favorite milk or dark chocolate. It’s a good idea to have extra pecans and chocolate on hand, as the caramel yield can vary from batch to batch.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, making sure that it extends by at least 2 inches over two opposite sides of the pan. Spray the parchment paper and then set the pan aside.
  2. 2. Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter melts. Stir in the salt and set the pan aside.
  3. 3. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to boil, brush the insides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to keep sugar crystals from forming. Then reduce the heat to medium to keep the sugar mixture at a steady boil until it turns a deep amber color, about 290°F on a candy thermometer. You can swirl the mixture around the pan, but do not stir.
  4. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and butter mixture. The mixture will bubble up quickly; keep whisking until it stops bubbling.
  5. 5. Return the pan to the stovetop. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 245°F to 250°F, 3 to 5 minutes.
  6. 6. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
  7. 7. Arrange the pecan halves in groups of four on the parchment paper to look like a turtle’s legs. In other words, place them as though they were on the face on a clock at 1:00, 5:00, 7:00, and 11:00. The “inside” ends can touch each other.
  8. 8. With a tablespoon, pour a dollop of warm caramel over each group of pecans, leaving just a bit of the pecans uncovered. Let the caramel cool at room temperature while you prepare the chocolate.
  9. 9. Melt and temper the chocolate, following the instructions on the next page.
  10. 10. For each turtle, pour a spoonful of the melted chocolate on top of the cooled caramel, covering as much of it as you’d like. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt over the warm chocolate.
  11. 11. Let the turtles cool to room temperature. This will take 15 to 20 minutes on the counter or less than 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Store at room temperature; they’ll keep for about 2 weeks.

How to Temper Chocolate

To get a great-looking turtle, it’s a good idea to temper the chocolate. If you simply melt chocolate, the cocoa fat can separate out, and when the chocolate cools it takes on a dull cast and lacks the crisp snap of great chocolate candy. Tempering — taking the chocolate through a particular temperature curve —helps prevent this. If you pair tempered chocolate with great caramel, your homemade turtles will be spectacular.

To prepare the chocolate, chop about three-quarters of the total amount into small pieces, no larger than chocolate chips. Shave or grate the remaining chocolate, which will help with the tempering.

Fill a saucepan one-quarter to one-third full with water, and heat the water to 140°F. Remove the saucepan from the heat and place a stainless steel bowl over it, suspended above the hot water.

Add the chopped chocolate (not the grated chocolate) to the bowl. Let the chocolate melt, stirring occasionally with a heatproof rubber spatula, until it has completely melted and its temperature hovers around 100°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Slowly stir in the grated chocolate. The chocolate is tempered and ready for the turtles when the temperature drops to about 89°F (for dark chocolate) or 86°F (for milk chocolate).

Peanut Brittle

Yield: about 1 pound

This recipe is versatile: you can use raw or roasted nuts, salted or unsalted, in whatever combination you like to create your own signature brittle. (Note: If you use raw peanuts, add them at the beginning, with the sugar and corn syrup.) Don’t worry if holes or gaps appear while you’re spreading the warm brittle mixture on the baking sheet. After the brittle cools and you break it up, the holes won’t matter at all.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Lightly butter or spray a 12- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
  2. 2. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt in a large heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
  3. 3. Once the mixture has come to a boil, place a lid on the pan for 1 minute, to help keep the inside of the pan moist to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Then remove the lid and place a candy thermometer in the pan. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 295°F.
  4. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and baking soda. The mixture will bubble up quickly; keep whisking until it stops bubbling. Then stir in the peanuts and vanilla.
  5. 5. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it around with a spatula or two forks. It can be as thick or thin as you like. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
  6. 6. Use your hands to break the brittle up into pieces. Store the brittle in an airtight bag or container at room temperature; it will keep for about 2 weeks.

Sesame Brittle

Yield: about 1 pound

This brittle makes a perfect homemade, nut-free gift. Crunchy brittle is similar to toffee in many ways, but it has significantly less butter, which gives it a unique, lighter flavor.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. 2. Spread the sesame seeds on a 12- by 17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pale golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. After the first 5 minutes, shake the pan every 2 minutes to keep the seeds from burning.
  3. 3. Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a bowl, thoroughly clean the sheet pan, and spray with cooking spray (or coat another 12- by 17-inch baking sheet with cooking spray). Set aside.
  4. 4. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and butter in a large heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to boil, brush down the insides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Then reduce the heat to medium to keep the sugar at a steady boil until it reaches 300°F. This may take 10 minutes or more. You can swirl the mixture around the pan, but do not stir.
  5. 5. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the baking soda, salt, and toasted sesame seeds. The mixture will bubble up quickly; keep stirring until it stops bubbling.
  6. 6. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet, and spread it out evenly with the back of a wooden spoon or an offset-handle metal spatula, to about 1⁄2-inch thickness. Allow to cool completely at room temperature, for 20 to 30 minutes.
  7. 7. When it’s cool, use your hands to break up the brittle into pieces. Store the brittle in an airtight container or a plastic storage bag at room temperature; it will keep for about 1 week.

Toffee with Chocolate and Almonds

Yield: about 2 pounds

Toffee, also known as butter crunch, is an unusual member of the caramel family because it doesn’t contain any cream or evaporated milk. It’s simply butter, sugar, and more sugar. The end result is a very crunchy, almost tooth-breaking confection.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Spray a 12- by 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. 2. Combine the sugar, butter, water, and corn syrup in a large heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to boil, brush down the insides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Then reduce the heat to medium to keep the sugar mixture at a steady boil until it reaches 285°F. This may take 10 minutes or more. You can swirl the mixture around the pan, but do not stir.
  3. 3. When the sugar mixture reaches 285°F, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Be careful, as the mixture may bubble up a bit when the baking soda is added; keep stirring until the bubbling stops.
  4. 4. Pour the toffee onto the prepared baking sheet, and spread it evenly with the back of a wooden spoon or an offset-handle metal spatula.
  5. 5. Scatter the chocolate pieces evenly over the surface of the hot toffee. Let this sit for a few minutes, until the chocolate has melted. Spread the melted chocolate evenly across the entire surface of the toffee.
  6. 6. Gently scatter a thin layer of almonds over the melted chocolate. You want a thin layer because only the almonds that are actually touching the chocolate will stick to it. The rest will just fall off.
  7. 7. Let the toffee cool at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. You can then break it up by hand, and store it in an airtight container or a plastic storage bag at room temperature; it will keep for 7 to 10 days.

Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts

Yield: 2 gallons

This homemade version of the classic Cracker Jack candy has popcorn and peanuts aplenty. This recipe makes enough for gift bags or movie night at home with friends and family.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 12- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. 2. Pour enough canola oil into a large soup pot to cover the bottom and set over medium-high heat. Add three kernels of popcorn to the pot and cover. When the kernels pop, add the remaining popcorn and shake the pot to mix the kernels with the oil. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally while the corn is popping, until the pops are a few seconds apart. Transfer the popcorn into a very large bowl.
  3. 3. Combine the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and molasses in a large heavy-duty saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Once it boils, cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 260°F on a candy thermometer, about 4 minutes.
  4. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the peanuts. Then stir in the condensed milk, salt, and vanilla.
  5. 5. Return the pan to the stovetop over low heat and cook for 2 minutes. Pour the warm caramel and peanut mixture over the popcorn and mix thoroughly with a large spoon. Don’t use your hands, as the caramel will still be very hot.
  6. 6. Spread the popcorn mixture on the prepared baking sheets.
  7. 7. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring at the 7-minute mark. If the two trays do not fit on the same oven rack, so that you have one on an upper rack and one on a lower one, swap them when you stir the mixture.
  8. 8. Cool the popcorn in their pans, to room temperature, for 15 to 20 minutes. The popcorn will keep for 5 to 7 days stored in an airtight container or plastic storage bags.