Caramelized Cobwebs And Licorice Spiders Recipes

CANDY SPIDERS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil.
• Unroll the wheels of black string licorice and cut it into segments about 1 1/2-inch long. If you have regular black licorice, cut it into quarters lengthwise, then cut the long strips into small 1 1/2-inch segments.
• Arrange the black licorice segments in groups of 8 on the baking sheet, forming a starburst pattern to represent the spider's legs. The body will cover the center portion of the starburst, so don't worry about exact placement.
• Place the chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave them until melted, stirring after every minute to prevent overheating.
• Add the marshmallows and the crisped rice cereal to the chocolate and stir until the candy is well-mixed.
• Using a teaspoon, drop small clumps of the candy mixture onto the prepared leg clusters, making sure that the spider's body is centered in the middle of the legs.
• While the chocolate is still wet, add two small candies to represent the spider's eyes.
• Place the tray of spiders in the refrigerator to set the chocolate, about 30 minutes.
• Serve at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet, and line with parchment paper. Butter lining. Dust bottom and sides with flour; tap out excess.
• Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk together chocolate, coffee, and boiling water in a separate bowl; set aside.
• Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add sour cream; beat until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture.
• Whisk chocolate mixture again; add to batter. Beat until smooth.
• Pour batter into prepared sheet. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in sheet on a wire rack.
• Invert cake onto a rimless baking sheet; peel off parchment. Halve widthwise. Spread half of buttercream on top of one layer. Top frosted layer with second cake layer; coat cake with remaining frosting. Refrigerate 1 hour. Cut into 12 squares; garnish each serving with a caramelized cobweb.

PECAN-CARAMEL SPIDERS

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Mound 30 small clusters of pecans, about 3 or 4 pecans each, spaced a couple inches apart on the pan.
• Make caramel: Warm the cream over low heat and keep warm while you cook the sugar.
• Put the sugar and corn syrup and in a deep, heavy-bottomed large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until the sugar reaches the hard crack stage, or 305 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 7 minutes.
• Whisk the butter and salt into the sugar mixture. Gradually pour in the cream and vanilla taking care since the mixture will bubble up. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar reaches soft ball stage, 240 degrees F on the thermometer, about 5 minutes more. Immediately remove from the heat and cool for a minute.
• Ladle a couple tablespoons of warm caramel over some of the nut clusters, to make the spider bodies. Then press 6 pieces of licorice into the warm caramel to make the legs. Repeat with the remaining caramel and licorice. (It's helpful to have an extra hand here, since the caramel can set quickly. If caramel hardens, warm over very low heat. ) Let spiders cool 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1-inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt at 50 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 1 minute. Stir, and continue heat until completely melted, 2 to 3 minutes more.)
• Spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate on top of each spider. Sprinkle with jimmies or chocolate curls, if desired. Let cool until firm.

CARAMELIZED COBWEBS AND LICORICE SPIDERS

Steps:

• Lightly butter 2 large sheets of parchment paper; set aside. Prepare a large ice-water bath; set aside.
• Pour 3 tablespoons water into a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Add sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush 2 or 3 times to prevent crystals from forming. Let syrup boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until syrup is medium amber.
• Immediately remove from heat; set pan into ice-water bath to stop the cooking.
• Working quickly, drizzle caramel with a spoon onto buttered parchment paper, forming cobwebs. Garnish with small licorice spiders, if desired. Let stand until hardened and cooled.
• For the spiders, cut licorice into 12 1-inch pieces; split horizontally. On each end, cut out 2 triangles, forming an M. On each side, cut out 1 triangle from middle. Use caramel to stick to webs.

CANDIED LEMON SLICES

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut lemon into 12 paper-thin slices; discard seeds and ends of rind.
• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, and add lemon slices; stir until softened, about 1 minute. Drain, and immediately plunge slices into ice-water bath. Drain.
• Bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium skillet, swirling to dissolve sugar. When liquid is clear and bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low. Add lemon slices, arranging them in one layer with tongs. Simmer (do not let boil) until rinds are translucent, about 1 hour.
• Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Let stand until ready to serve. Lemon slices can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day.

BRAISED RED CABBAGE WITH CARAMELIZED ONION AND CIDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a large, heavy ovenproof saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until edges start to caramelize, 10 to 12 minutes. Add sugar, and cook 1 minute more. Add vinegar. Scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in cider, stock, cinnamon, bay leaf, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add cabbage, arranging in a single layer. Bring to a boil. Cover; transfer to oven. Braise until cabbage is tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Transfer cabbage to a serving platter using a slotted spoon; discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Bring remaining liquid in saucepan to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes (you will have about 1 cup sauce). Spoon sauce over cabbage.

BASIC CARAMEL

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 cup water into a medium (2- to 3-quart) heavy-bottom saucepan. Add sugar. Cook over medium heat, gently stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear.
• Continue to cook, without stirring, until the syrup comes to a boil, washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush two or three times to prevent crystals from forming. Let syrup boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until medium amber. Remove from heat.

CARAMEL SYRUP

Steps:

• Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and comes to a boil. Continue cooking, brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush but without stirring, until mixture becomes golden amber in color.
• Immediately remove from heat and add 1 cup water. Return to heat and continue stirring until mixture becomes liquid. Transfer to a heatproof container and let cool completely before using.

CARAMEL-DIPPED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Gently insert pointed end of a long wooden skewer into the side of each hazelnut. Place a cutting board along the edge of a countertop; place newspaper on the floor,directly under cutting board.
• Prepare an ice-water bath. Heat sugar and the water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Stop stirring; cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Continue to boil, gently swirling occasionally, until medium amber. Plunge pan into ice bath to stop the cooking; let stand until thickened, about 10 minutes. (To test: Dip a skewer in caramel and lift a few inches; if a thick drip slowly forms and holds a string, the caramel is ready.)
• Dip a skewered hazelnut into caramel, letting excess drip back into pan. When dripping syrup becomes a thin string, secure opposite end of skewer under cutting board. Repeat with remaining hazelnuts. (If caramel hardens before all hazelnuts have been dipped, rewarm it over low heat.) Let stand until caramel string has hardened, about 5 minutes; break each string to desired length. Carefully remove skewers. Candied hazelnuts should be used the same day; store, uncovered, at room temperature until ready to serve cupcakes.