To continue on my previous post on homemade goodies for the holidays, I decided to try my luck on caramels, another sweet treat I learned to make during a Black Market Bakery's candies workshop. The result was pretty spectacular ... and everybody loved them! Moreover, they are quite easy to make provided you have a heavy duty saucepan and a reliable candy thermometer, and once wrapped in waxed paper or cellophane, they can last for a month ... also they never do!
Making caramel is pretty fascinating. With only 4 main ingredients: heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup and butter, I was able to create numerous delicious candies that can be easily shipped to family and friends. Since our relatives are mostly on the East Coast, France and Canada, I'm always on the look for homemade goodies that can be mailed ... and caramel is becoming number one on my list!
I decided to redo the chocolate caramel I experimented during the candy workshop, and also to try a traditional caramel recipe I found in a recent Food & Travel magazine, UK edition. Both candies were great. You can create some variations on these recipes by adding additional flavorings at the very last minute before you pour the syrup on the baking sheet {Ex: Instant expresso powder and orange peel}. You can also sprinkle half a cup of toasted sesame seeds or toasted unsweetened coconut on the parchment-linen baking sheet.
Some words of advice to make the perfect caramel. First chose a large heavy duty pan. The cream will create a lot of extremely hot bubbling foam that you don't want have on your cooktop. Also, watch your temperature because the hotter the syrup, the harder the finished candy will be, so precision is key. {Make sure you have a good digital candy thermometer!}. And finally, be attentive and stir well during the cooking as it can create certain "hotspots" in the pan and cook very quickly. Make sure your parchment-linen pan is ready before you start.
For the packaging, I found some nice tin boxes at my local craft store. I found it pretty difficult to find tin cans during the year, except during the holidays season. So I usually tend to stock my tins during that period. Some designs are not too holiday{ish}, and can be used at other time during the year. I also found some nice candy wrappers in 2 colors {Gold and Red}, that I used to differentiate the chocolate from the butterscotch flavor. I also created a cute label with a description and ingredients each type of caramel, just in case someone may be allergic to one ingredient. Some nice shiny ribbons and festive silk flowers ... et voila ... A delicious gift filled with love!
Chocolate caramels
(Recipe for 50 candies - courtesy of Black Market Bakery)
375 ml heavy cream
275 gr sugar 70 gr butter 150 gr corn syrup 55 gr dark chocolate
Making caramel is pretty fascinating. With only 4 main ingredients: heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup and butter, I was able to create numerous delicious candies that can be easily shipped to family and friends. Since our relatives are mostly on the East Coast, France and Canada, I'm always on the look for homemade goodies that can be mailed ... and caramel is becoming number one on my list!
I decided to redo the chocolate caramel I experimented during the candy workshop, and also to try a traditional caramel recipe I found in a recent Food & Travel magazine, UK edition. Both candies were great. You can create some variations on these recipes by adding additional flavorings at the very last minute before you pour the syrup on the baking sheet {Ex: Instant expresso powder and orange peel}. You can also sprinkle half a cup of toasted sesame seeds or toasted unsweetened coconut on the parchment-linen baking sheet.
Some words of advice to make the perfect caramel. First chose a large heavy duty pan. The cream will create a lot of extremely hot bubbling foam that you don't want have on your cooktop. Also, watch your temperature because the hotter the syrup, the harder the finished candy will be, so precision is key. {Make sure you have a good digital candy thermometer!}. And finally, be attentive and stir well during the cooking as it can create certain "hotspots" in the pan and cook very quickly. Make sure your parchment-linen pan is ready before you start.
For the packaging, I found some nice tin boxes at my local craft store. I found it pretty difficult to find tin cans during the year, except during the holidays season. So I usually tend to stock my tins during that period. Some designs are not too holiday{ish}, and can be used at other time during the year. I also found some nice candy wrappers in 2 colors {Gold and Red}, that I used to differentiate the chocolate from the butterscotch flavor. I also created a cute label with a description and ingredients each type of caramel, just in case someone may be allergic to one ingredient. Some nice shiny ribbons and festive silk flowers ... et voila ... A delicious gift filled with love!
Chocolate caramels
(Recipe for 50 candies - courtesy of Black Market Bakery)
375 ml heavy cream
275 gr sugar 70 gr butter 150 gr corn syrup 55 gr dark chocolate
Prepare the 8" square pan by spraying with non-stick spray and line with a piece of parchment.
Place the cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup into a large saucepan. Make sure there is a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add the chocolate and stir until homogenous. Stop stirring. Raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil without stirring. Cook to 115°C / 240°F, and then begin stirring again. From now on do not stop stirring. If you do, the caramel may burn in spots. Now cook to 124°C / 255°F
Pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan, but do not scrape the pan. Whatever sticks to the inside of the pot is too dark and should be discarded. Let the caramel cool until firm, then turn out of the pan and cut into the desired size using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.
Place the cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup into a large saucepan. Make sure there is a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Stir over medium heat until dissolved. Add the chocolate and stir until homogenous. Stop stirring. Raise the heat to medium high and bring to a boil without stirring. Cook to 115°C / 240°F, and then begin stirring again. From now on do not stop stirring. If you do, the caramel may burn in spots. Now cook to 124°C / 255°F
Pour the hot caramel into the prepared pan, but do not scrape the pan. Whatever sticks to the inside of the pot is too dark and should be discarded. Let the caramel cool until firm, then turn out of the pan and cut into the desired size using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.
Butterscotch caramels(Recipe for 50 candies - courtesy of Food and Travel magazine)
400 ml heavy cream
160 gr unsalted butter, diced at room temperature plus extra for greasing 320 gr corn syrup 400 gr sugar 2 tsp salt plus extra for sprinkle 2 tsp of vanilla extract
Line a 9" / 20cm square pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with butter.
In a small saucepan, heat the cream with half of the butter. Add the vanilla extract and sea salt, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and keep warm.
In another large-size, heavy duty saucepan, heat the corn syrup with the sugar, stirring gently until smooth. Continue to heat the syrup until it reaches 155°C and 310°F, using a sugar thermometer to check. To get an accurate reading, tilt the saucepan to make sure the probe is fully submerged in the syrup. Leave the thermometer and turn the heat right down before slowly stirring in the warm cream until the mixture is smooth. Turn the up the heat again the mixture reaches 127°C / 260°F.
Take out the thermometer, remove the saucepan from heat and thoroughly stir in the remaining butter until it's all melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and place on a rack until completely cool, then lift out the caramel, peel back the baking paper and, taking great care, slice the bar into cube with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.
Wrap the caramel in wax papper or cellophane. They will keep for almost a month in an airtight container.
In a small saucepan, heat the cream with half of the butter. Add the vanilla extract and sea salt, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and keep warm.
In another large-size, heavy duty saucepan, heat the corn syrup with the sugar, stirring gently until smooth. Continue to heat the syrup until it reaches 155°C and 310°F, using a sugar thermometer to check. To get an accurate reading, tilt the saucepan to make sure the probe is fully submerged in the syrup. Leave the thermometer and turn the heat right down before slowly stirring in the warm cream until the mixture is smooth. Turn the up the heat again the mixture reaches 127°C / 260°F.
Take out the thermometer, remove the saucepan from heat and thoroughly stir in the remaining butter until it's all melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and place on a rack until completely cool, then lift out the caramel, peel back the baking paper and, taking great care, slice the bar into cube with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.
Wrap the caramel in wax papper or cellophane. They will keep for almost a month in an airtight container.
Will have to remember to do this next Xmas! Wonderful photography too.
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