Caramel Gold Recipes

Steps:

• Spray an 11 3/4-by-16 1/2-inch baking pan (this is a half-sheet pan) with vegetable-oil spray. Set aside in a spot where it will not be moved. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine cream and sweetened condensed milk; set aside.
• In a heavy 6- to 8-quart saucepan, combine corn syrup, 1 cup water, sugar, and salt. Clip on candy thermometer. Over high heat, cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring with a wooden spoon, 8 to 12 minutes. Brush down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
• Stop stirring, reduce heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until temperature reaches 250 degrees (hard-ball stage), 45 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, cook cream mixture over low heat until it is just warm. Do not boil. When sugar reaches 250 degrees. slowly stir in butter and warmed cream mixture, keeping mixture boiling at all times. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until thermometer reaches 244 degrees (firm-ball stage), 55 to 75 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Immediately pour into prepared pan without scraping pot. Let stand uncovered at room temperature for 24 hours without moving.
• To cut, spray a large cutting board generously with vegetable-oil spray. Unmold caramel from pan onto sprayed surface. Cut into 1-by-1 1/4-inch pieces, or other shapes. Wrap each in cellophane or waxed paper.

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper; set aside.
• Split the vanilla bean in half with a small paring knife, and scrape out the seeds; discard the pod. Add the seeds to the cream in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan; scald the cream and keep the saucepan near the stove so that if the cream cools too much when needed, you can reheat it briefly. In a deep, heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over low heat, blend the corn syrup and the sugar, stirring occasionally until the mixture becomes more fluid and most of the sugar appears dissolved.
• Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and gently boil until a candy thermometer registers 305 degrees F (hard crack stage), about 9 to 12 minutes.
• Add the butter and salt to the sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Pour in the warm vanilla-flavored cream in a slow but steady stream without letting the boiling stop (be careful-mixture foams up and is steamy). Lower heat to medium and continue to boil gently until the thermometer registers about 248 degrees F, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, about 14 to 15 minutes.
• Let the candy stand about 3 minutes to allow bubbling to subside, then pour into the prepared pan without scraping the saucepan; allow to cool at least 5 hours.
• Invert onto a clean cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips; then cut across the strips to form 1/2-inch squares. To apply a patch of gold leaf to each square, use a small artist's brush. With the brush, lift a tiny patch about the size of an oatmeal flake of gold leaf and deposit it on top of the caramels for decoration.
• Cut caramels tend to stick together and not hold their shape unless individually wrapped, so for easiest storage wrap the block of caramels in aluminum foil and cut off portions as needed. Store cut caramels in layers, separated by aluminum foil in an airtight metal or plastic container in a cool place for up to 3 weeks.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cook the sugar, corn syrup and water to a dark amber caramel. Add the passion fruit puree, butter, vanilla seeds and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil and cook to 235 degrees F while stirring the entire time. Stir in the salt. Spray parchment paper with nonstick and put on a sheet pan. Set the metal caramel frames to 8 by 12 inches on top. Pour the caramel inside the frame and place in the freezer until frozen.
• Once the passion fruit caramel is frozen, cut out about 36 disks with 1 1/2-inch round cutters. Store the caramel in the freezer. Melt the dark chocolate. Dip the frozen passion fruit caramel disks into the chocolate and let set at room temperature until the chocolate hardens.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar and the water to soft ball stage, 240 degrees F. Add the almonds and keep stirring until caramelized to a dark amber color. Add the salt and butter. Spread onto greased sheet pans and let cool 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the temperature of the room. After they have cooled, put in the refrigerator about 1 hour.
• Transfer the almonds into a stainless steel bowl and coat the almonds with the melted chocolate while stirring constantly. When set, sift the cocoa powder or powder sugar over the almonds.
• In a small saucepan, bring the cream, cinnamon, and glucose to a boil. Place the butter, salt, and both chocolates in a small bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 10 seconds. Whisk to combine. Let stand at room temperature until the edges of the ganache start to crystallize.
• Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate to 186.8 degrees F. Pour into the chocolate bar molds to coat, then pour back out. Tap all of the excess chocolate out, then invert onto parchment paper until the chocolate hardens completely. Pipe the ganache half way into the chocolate shell.
• In a small saucepan, caramelize the corn syrup and sugar to a dark amber. Place the cream in a small microwave-proof container and heat in the microwave until hot to the touch. Carefully add the caramel to the hot cream. Bring the mixture back to a boil. Place the chocolate and honey in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 10 seconds and whisk to combine. Fold in the macadamia nuts. Let stand at room temperature until the edges of the ganache start to crystallize. Spoon the caramel on top of the cinnamon chocolate ganache and top with the rest of the tempered chocolate. Let it set up in the refrigerator, about 1 hour. Tap the bars out of the mold.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy 3 quart sauce pan.
• Add sugar and salt.
• Stir thoroughly.
• Now stir in corn syrup.
• Mix well.
• Add sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly.
• Cook and stir over medium heat and heat to firm ball stage (245 degrees), about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
• Pour into a 9x9x2 buttered pan; cool, cut into squares (or make turtles by arranging two pecan halves on a buttered sheet of waxed paper and spooning a little caramel on top of the pecans, let cool, then spooning a little melted milk chocolate on top).
• Enjoy when cooled.

Steps:

• Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Spray large bowl with cooking spray; stir together cereal and nuts in bowl.
• Spray medium microwavable bowl with cooking spray; add butter, caramel sauce, salt and marshmallows. Microwave uncovered on High 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth, stirring after each minute.
• Pour hot marshmallow mixture over cereal and nuts; stir until cereal is well coated. Press firmly in pan.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 90 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over top of bars.
• Cool at least 1 1/2 hours until firm. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature.

Steps:

• For ganache:
• Combine milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in medium bowl. Stir sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and cinnamon stick in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 6 minutes (time will vary depending on size of pan). Add cream and salt (mixture will bubble vigorously). Bring caramel to boil, whisking until smooth and caramel bits dissolve, about 1 minute. Discard cinnamon stick. Pour hot caramel over chocolate; stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let stand until completely cool, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in chocolate mixture in 4 additions. Cover and refrigerate ganache overnight.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in 1 cup brown sugar, then egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat in chestnut spread, then milk. Sift dry ingredients over and gently mix together. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter in 3 additions.
• Transfer batter to pan. Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 48 minutes. Cut around cake to loosen. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.
• For syrup:
• Stir brandy and brown sugar in small bowl until sugar dissolves.
• Turn cake out onto work surface. Peel off parchment. Using long serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on 8x8-inch cardboard square. Brush cake layer with half of brandy syrup. Spread with 1 cup ganache. Sprinkle with half of chopped chestnuts. Top with second cake layer, cut side up. Repeat with remaining brandy syrup, 1 cup ganache, and remaining chopped chestnuts. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side up. Spread remaining ganache over top and sides of cake. Place cake rack on sheet of foil; place assembled cake on rack. Chill while preparing glaze.
• For glaze:
• Bring cream, sugar, and 1/4 cup water to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and glaze is smooth. Let cool until thick but still pourable, about 4 hours.
• Pour glaze atop cake, spreading evenly over sides. Chill until glaze sets.
• Brush 12 whole chestnuts with gold dust. Arrange chestnuts across top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours at room temperature.) Serve cake at room temperature.
• *Sweetened chestnut spread is flavored with vanilla. It is available at specialty foods stores amd at some well-stocked supermarkets during the holidays. You can also order it from Joie de Vivre (800-648-8854; frenchselections.com).
• **Whole chestnuts are sold in jars and in vacuum-packed pouches. Like the sweet chestnut spread, they are available at specialty foods stores and at some supermarkets during the holidays.
• ***Edible gold dust is available at many baking supply stores. You can order it from L'Epicerie (866-350-7575; lepicerie.com).