Probably not a big deal for 99.9% of you, but I finally made really good caramel candy. Thanks Theo!

M

marilynfl

Moderator
Used Seattle's "Theo Chocolate" book; scaled-down recipe ended up with 64 1" square pieces, then coated with tempered Callebaut 60% dark chocolate. Finished caramels are 1/2" thick.

They would have come out slightly thicker if I'd used a 7x7" square pan, but needs must. I used an 8x8" lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Have pan ready!

I wanted to use a pint of organic heavy cream, so the recipe isn't exactly half; just scaled down for 2 Cups of heavy cream. But it still worked perfectly using their methodology. I only made two minor changes: added more vanilla bean seeds and 1/4 tsp Piment d'Espelette to give it some happy zing. Theo sells a Ghost Chili Pepper Caramel version, but I was too intimidated to go that far out on the Scoville Scale limb.

Oh, they garnish with sea salt after coating, but I don't like that salty-sweet thing, so I just added some salt to the caramel.

2 C heavy cream

1 vanilla bean

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/3 C light corn syrup

1/4 tsp Piment d'Espelette

2 C MINUS 2 TBL granulated sugar

3 TBL + 1 tsp butter

(Mar's Note: Instructions are VERY clear in the book. If you've ever been scarred for life by failed caramel attempts, this is the book for you.)

Split bean, scrap out seeds, add to cream along pepper and salt. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat and set aside to steep for 20 minutes. Put syrup in bowl and strain heavy cream mixture over syrup. Have ready to add to hot sugar mixture.

Using a heavy pot over medium heat (I used a 3.5 QT Calphalon non-stick pot and would like to thank the Calphalon company for creating a pot where melted sugar just ran down the sides and didn't crystallize. Thank you!), start with half a cup of sugar and swirl until it melts. Then add another half a cup and wait for that to melt, continuing until all the sugar has been added. When it just begins to smoke (it will have darkened), start adding the cream 1/2 cup at a time, stirring vigorously. Wait at least one minute before adding another half of a cup of cream. You don't want the temperature to drop too much. When all the cream is added, raise the heat slightly, add a thermometer and boil until it reaches EXACTLY 254 degrees. This results in a caramel that has a slight stretch to it.

As soon as the temperature is reached, pull off the heat and vigorously add the butter, then pour into prepared pan.

Set aside for minimum of TWELVE HOURS. Yes, you read that right...after all that work you are NOT going to be allowed to eat it. But it will be SO PERFECT and SO SHINY and SO CARAMEL-Y-ISH that you will go to bed happy and dream dreams where your filling are NOT pulled out by overly sticky caramel.

Next day, cut into squares and coat with tempered chocolate. Or not.

This definitely has a bit of subtle, sneak-up-on-your-taste-buds bite to it, so skip the additional ingredient if you want regular but still perfect caramel.

PS: The caramel lifted off perfectly from the non-stick aluminum foil, but then I put it down on my large wooden pastry board to cut. It tended to stick a bit to that after I pressed down to cut into square, so place the block on a Silpat or marble slab or other non-stick device so you won't need to run a knife under each and every friggin' piece to lift before coating.

https://www.amazon.com/Theo-Chocolate-Seattles-Favorite-Featuring/dp/1570619972/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471602167&sr=1-1&keywords=theo+chocolate

 
Congratulations, Marilyn! smileys/wink.gif

Another of your Bucket-List-Must-Do, must done! Thanks for sharing your method with us. Colleen

 
Happy the method finally works. But, once again, my tongue is holding me hostage. Not a single

person here at work thought they were bite-y from the chili pepper infusion. A few could notice a slight tingle after I gave stern warnings to expect it

I, on the other hand, am sitting here with half of my tongue NUMB. And I ate it 2 hours ago.

And that was 1/4 TEASPOON of Piment d'Espelette infused in 2 CUPS of heavy cream...and then strained out.

 
Have you checked with your physician for an allergy to capsaicin? 1/4 teaspoon

in two cups of cream is not very much. I have found that over the time I have had the Piment d' espelette is has lost some of its bite.

 
Fair warning on reducing apple cider

I ruined an entire gallon when I tried to make boiled cider. It goes from "oh, it is finally thickening a little" to scorched in just a few minutes.

 
Here's their Big Daddy Marshmallow Bars recipe

Big Daddy Marshmallow Bars

To make these decadent, chewy, fluffy, totally over-the-top morsels, we start with a handmade graham-cracker crust, add a layer of buttery, vanilla-infused caramel and stack a marshmallow cloud on top—then we envelop it all in a blanket of dark chocolate.

Makes 18 candy bars, or 54 "fun-size" candies

Ingredients

For the graham-cracker crust:
7 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. graham flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 tsp. honey
3/4 tsp. molasses

For the caramel layer:
1/4 vanilla bean
1 cup plus 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For the marshmallow layer:
1 packet (7 grams) powdered gelatin
3 Tbsp. cold water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
Cornstarch, for dusting

For the chocolate coating: About 3 pounds tempered milk, or dark chocolate

Directions

To make the graham-cracker crust, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or a Silpat mat and lightly oil the sides of the pan.

Put the flours, sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to blend well. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

In a small bowl, stir together the honey and molasses. Add this mixture to the bowl of the food processor and process until completely mixed and no streaks of honey remain.

Press the dough into the prepared pan. It might not look like there is enough dough, but there is! Use a fork to prick the dough every inch or so. Bake until firm and deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. (Don't underbake: You want the crust to be crispy.) Set aside on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the caramel, cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the back of a knife to scrape out the seeds from both halves. In a large saucepan, combine the seeds, the bean and the cream. Bring the cream to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat, cover it and let the vanilla steep for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, line a 9-by-13-inch pan with a Silpat mat and lightly oil the sides of the pan. (Or, you can line the pan with 2 strips of parchment paper, one lengthwise and one widthwise, both of them long enough to hang over the sides of the pan. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.)

Put the corn syrup in a bowl large enough to hold it, as well as the cream. When the vanilla has steeped, return the pan back to the heat. Bring the cream back up to a simmer, then strain it over the corn syrup, pressing on the solids to extract as much of the flavor and seeds as possible. Cover the bowl with a piece of aluminum foil, to keep the cream mixture warm, and set aside near the stove.

Put about 1/2 cup of the sugar into a large (at least 5- to 6-quart) heavy-bottomed pot, ideally a copper jam pot. Cook the sugar over medium heat, without stirring, until at least half of it has liquefied, then use a wooden spoon to gently stir it, incorporating the dry sugar into the melted sugar. When it has turned golden and there's no dry sugar left, sprinkle another 1/2 cup of the sugar over the surface of the caramelizing sugar and gently stir to incorporate. Repeat this, 1/2 cup sugar at a time, until you've incorporated all the sugar. Don't add more sugar until the previous addition has melted. If any lumps form, just press on them with the spoon and stir to let the bits melt.

When all the sugar has been added, increase the heat slightly and stir the caramel gently. It will go from looking opaque and grainy to looking shiny, smooth and more liquid, and the color will darken as well. When it's perfectly smooth, very liquid and just beginning to smoke, add about 1 cup of the cream mixture. Be very careful—wear an oven mitt and stand back—the caramel will bubble and steam vigorously. Stir to thoroughly mix in the cream. When the steam has subsided and the bubbles are lava-like, velvety and popping slowly, add another cup of the cream. Repeat this process until you've added all the cream. Be sure to wait at least 1 minute between additions to let the caramel heat up again. (If the caramel gets too cool, or the temperature fluctuates too much, it can crystallize or seize.)

Use a small (2- to 3-quart) saucepan to cook the caramel to make it easier to measure the temperature. After you've thoroughly mixed the butter into the hot caramel, pour the caramel over the crust (but don't scrape out the saucepan—the last bit of caramel will probably have cooked for too long in the residual heat of the pan, and it will get too hard when it sets). Allow the caramel to cool until it's just barely warm to the touch before you make the marshmallow.

To make the marshmallow, line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch pan with a Silpat mat or parchment paper. Pour a nickel-size drop of vegetable oil in the center and spread it all over the Silpat or parchment paper and up the sides of the baking pan. Set the pan aside. Connect the whisk attachment and bowl to a stand mixer.

Put the gelatin in a small microwave-safe bowl and add the cold water, stirring gently to combine. Set aside to soften.

Pour the corn syrup into a medium microwave-safe container, such as a 2- or 4-cup Pyrex liquid measuring cup, and heat in the microwave until the syrup is quite warm (almost hot) and very liquefied. Set aside next to the stove.

Put the sugar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan (2-quart). Cook the sugar over low heat until it has dissolved completely. Add the water, stirring gently, without letting any sugar syrup splash onto the sides of the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to help the sugar melt evenly.

Meanwhile, melt the gelatin in the microwave until liquid. Don't overheat it. This will only take a few seconds—you may want to partially melt it, give it a stir then melt it the rest of the way. Set aside next to the corn syrup.

Use a candy thermometer to carefully check the temperature of the sugar syrup. When it reaches 238 to 240° F, immediately turn off the heat and add the warm corn syrup, mixing gently, then stir in the gelatin.

Pour the hot sugar mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk it on low for about 10 seconds to mix the ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and whisk until the mixture is frothy and pale throughout, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla and salt, whisk on low to blend, then increase the speed to high and whisk until the mixture is thick, very white and just warm, about 3 minutes.

Allow the marshmallow to sit uncovered in a cool, dry place overnight to set and cure. (It will set up completely in 4 to 6 hours, but the flavor and texture will improve if you can muster the self-control to leave it overnight.)

When you're ready to cut the marshmallows, dust the top with cornstarch, then turn the pan upside down on a cutting board. Peel off the Silpat mat, or parchment paper, and dust the top again with cornstarch. Spray a long, sharp knife with cooking spray and wipe off the excess (or just wipe the knife with a paper towel moistened with a little oil) and cut 12 (1-inch) strips across the length of the block (each strip will be about 9 inches long). Wash and dry the knife as necessary between cuts. Turn the strips so that one of their sticky sides faces up, dust with cornstarch then flip them all over and dust the other sticky side. Line up 4 or 5 strips and cut them into 8 cubes each, then repeat with the remaining strips. Sift some cornstarch into a bowl and toss a handful of marshmallows at a time to lightly coat the sticky sides, then shake them gently to remove the excess. Repeat with the remaining marshmallows. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the marshmallows will keep for 3 to 4 weeks.

When the marshmallow is ready, move as quickly as you can to pour it in an even layer over the caramel (such a small amount will set very quickly). Use a small metal offset spatula to push the marshmallow into the corners of the pan and get the top relatively smooth. As the marshmallow sits, it will level itself. Let the pan sit for between 12 and 24 hours, uncovered, to set.

Dust the top of the marshmallow layer with cornstarch.

Put your chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it on low power for 10-second increments. Once you've done this a few times and you know your microwave, or if you're working with larger quantities of chocolate (more than 2 ounces), you may warm it for longer just to start, but once the chocolate starts to melt, only heat it for very short intervals. Between intervals, stir the chocolate well. The heat of the melted chocolate is enough to melt some of the solid chocolate that remains. If the container you're using gets warm, continue to stir the melting chocolate, as the heat of the container will melt the chocolate as well.

To dip candy, run a small metal offset spatula along the edges of the pan of candy to loosen the contents. Place a piece of parchment paper over the pan and set a cutting board on top. Flip the pan and the cutting board, holding them together tightly, so that the cutting board is on the bottom. Lift off the pan, leaving the candy on the cutting board. Some types of candy will slide out more quickly than others.

Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on whichever side of the candy will be the bottom. This coating provides a sturdy base to protect the candy bar when you are coating it with the tempered chocolate.

Once that chocolate layer has set, turn the block of candy over so that the chocolate is on the bottom, and cut it into individual servings with a lightly oiled, sharp long knife. If the knife gets sticky, clean it well before continuing. If you cut the pieces small enough, you can dip them into tempered chocolate as you would dip ganache confections. If they are too large to use a dipping fork, the easiest method we've found to use at home involves setting them about 1 inch apart on a cooling rack set over a sheet pan, then slowly ladling tempered chocolate over them. (You won't have to worry about covering the bottoms because they've already been covered with chocolate.) You can scrape up the excess chocolate and either temper it again, if it's very clean, or use it in another recipe.

The bars will keep at room temperature for up to 3 months.

From Theo Chocolate: Recipes & Sweet Secrets from Seattle's Favorite Chocolate Maker(Sasquatch Books) by Debra Music and Joe Whinney.

http://www.oprah.com/food/Big-Daddy-Marshmallow-Bars-Recipe

 
This sounds so decadent, however the long instructions blew me away, I'm sure it

is easier to make than it looks.

 
Rec: Caramels - microwave version - easy and excellent

After much trial and error in making caramels on the stove, I found this microwave method shown at bottom, and they turn out perfectly every time.

Caramels
Servings: 60 caramels

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup Karo syrup
2 cups half and half


Directions:

Butter 8" square baking pan. Combine ingredients

in heavy large (4 quart) sauce pan. (must be heavy, and not light weight)

Bring to boil over med high heat, stirring often.

Watch mixture, and as it begins to thicken and darken, stir constantly, until mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. This can take about 35 to 45 minutes.

Immediately pour into prepared pan. Do not scrape pan. Cool. Cut into squares and wrap with waxed paper. If you wipe the knife blade with some oil, it will make cutting easier. Store in tin. Can be frozen.

For Microwave:

You need to use a very large deep bowl because the syrup boils up very high. (about 6 quarts) I Use large my blue fruit bowl. Combine ingredients and microwave on high. Takes about 30 min. Stir every 5 minutes for first 20 min. Then stir more frequently and check temperature often. (about every 2 or 3 minutes)



Notes: Very good dipped in bittersweet chocolate. Also good with a little fleur de sel on top after dipping.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top