Caramel Pecan Diamonds Recipes

CARAMEL PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• For the dough, combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well to mix. Cut the butter into 8 to 10 pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Rub the butter in finely; be careful that the mixture remains cool and powdery. Beat the eggs lightly and stir them into the dough with a fork. Continue stirring until the dough masses together. Remove the dough to a floured surface and knead lightly, until the dough is smooth. Form the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick and wrap in plastic. Chill the dough until it is firm, about 1 hour.
• Butter a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan. Roll the dough to a rectangle about 12 x 17 inches. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, then unroll it into the pan. Press the dough well into the bottom and sides of the pan and fold the excess dough into the pan. Make a high fluted edge around the edge of the pan. Chill the dough-lined pan while preparing the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the corn syrup and sugar in a saucepan and mix well. Place on medium heat and stir occasionally, until the syrup comes to a boil. At the boil, add the butter and cream and return to a boil. Simmer the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and rum.
• Place the chopped pecans in a heatproof mixing bowl. Pour the cooked syrup over the pecans and stir well to mix. Pour the filling on the dough in the pan and spread it evenly with a metal spatula.
• Bake the pastry on the lowest rack of the oven for about 30 minutes. Turn the pan occasionally to make sure that the dough and the filling bake evenly. Remove the pan from the oven and cool it on a rack to room temperature. Wrap the pan in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• To unmold the pastry, run a small, sharp knife between the crust and the sides of the pan. Place the pan on low heat for a few seconds to loosen the pastry. Place a cookie sheet on the top and invert. Remove the pan in which the pastry baked and replace it with a cutting board. Invert, remove the cookie sheet and trim away the edges of the pastry.
• Cut the pastry into 1 1/2- inch diamonds.

CARAMEL PECAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in milk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut into 2x1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 325° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., For filling, combine caramels and milk in a large saucepan. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until caramels are melted and smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter, sugar and pecans. Cool for 5 minutes. Spread 1 teaspoon over each cookie. , For icing, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chips and milk; stir until smooth. Stir in the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. , Spread 1 teaspoon icing on each cookie; top each with a pecan half. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

CHEWY CARAMEL PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides; butter foil.
• In a food processor, blend the flour confectioner's sugar, cornstarch and salt for a couple of seconds.
• Add in 3/4 cup COld butter (cut into chunks); process until mixture begins to clump together.
• Press the dough evenly onto the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan.
• Bake until light and golden, about 25 minutes (don't overbake).
• Remove from oven; let stand while preparing the topping.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• FOR TOPPING: stir the brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture boils; boil for 1 minute.
• Add in the pecans and the whipping cream; boil until the mixture thickens slightly (about 3 minutes).
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour over the warm baked crust.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is darker, and bubbles thickly.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack; cool completely in the pan (topping will harden).
• In a double boiler, melt the caramels with 2-3 tsp whipping cream.
• Drizzle over the top of the cooked nut topping; cool.
• Lift foil out of the pan onto a cutting board.
• Using a heavy, sharp knife, cut the crust with nut topping into 1-1/2 x 1-inch diamonds.
• These keep for up to 1 week.

CARAMEL PECANS

Steps:

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with 2 teaspoons butter and set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, corn syrup, 1 cup cream and the remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the remaining cream. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage)., Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Discard foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• For the crust:.
• Combine flour, baking powder& salt, set aside.
• Cream butter,sugar and shortening until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
• Add dry ingredients, stirring until dough forms a ball.
• Wrap dough and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Between 2 sheets of waxed paper roll the dough into a 15x10 inch rectangle 1/8 inch thick.
• Remove top sheet of waxed paper and invert onto a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan.
• Remove remaining wax paper and if necessary, patch the dough.
• Prick the dough liberally with a fork to prevent shrinkage during baking, and bake 10 minutes (DO NOT BROWN).
• Cool completely and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• For the Filling:.
• In a large saucepan combine butter, honey,and both sugars and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Stir in nuts and mix thoroughly.
• Stir in cream and mix thoroughly.
• Set cooled partially baked crust into a pan of the same size (this is necessary to prevent burning of the crust while topping caramelizes).
• CAREFULLY spread pecan mixture over partially baked crust (mixture will be extremely hot and can severly burn you).
• Bake 35 minutes in 350F oven.
• Cool completely in pans on wire rack.
• Once cool cut crosswise into 1 1/2 inch stips, then cut diagonally at 2 inch intervals to form diamonds.
• **It is recommended that you do not use dark coated baking pans for this recipe.
• If you must, shorten baking time by at least 10 minutes.

PECAN CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with butter. Set aside. , In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until smooth and blended, about 10 minutes. Stir in milk and remaining cream. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage), about 25 minutes. , Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan; cut into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper.