Chewy Salted Caramel And Hazelnut Ganache Bon Bons Recipes

SALTED HAZELNUT TOFFEE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicone liner and coat it with cooking spray. Set aside.
• On another baking sheet, roast the hazelnuts until fragrant, 10 minutes. Remove them to a plate.
• Combine the butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking until melted. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the mixture registers 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the hazelnuts. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth with an offset spatula. Let dry for about 1 1/2 minutes, then scatter the chocolate chips on top. As they melt, spread the chocolate to the outer edges of the toffee with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with sea salt and freeze until set, about 30 minutes. Peel the toffee away from the silicone liner and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into pieces with a sharp knife. The toffee will keep, tightly covered, up to 1 week.

BOOZY CARAMEL BONBONS RECIPE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup and stir. Wash down the sides with a pastry brush dipped in clean water, then place over medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes, at which point the mixture will begin to darken. Swirl the pot to even out the caramelization, and allow the caramel to turn deep amber. Then, stand back and slowly add the cream (the mixture will sputter, rise in the pot, and spit; be very careful) and turn off the heat. Once it is safe, whisk in the heavy cream, until smooth. Whisk in the butter until it melts completely. Whisk in the vanilla seeds, booze, and salt and allow the mixture to cool completely.
• Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and divide the chocolate evenly into one very large bowl and one small bowl (the large bowl is the bowl that you will melt the chocolate in, the small one contains the "seed" chocolate for tempering). Set a pot of water to boil on the stove. When the water is boiling, turn off the heat and place the large bowl of chocolate over the water. Temper the chocolate (for a full tutorial, click here ) by stirring to bring to chocolate to 115°F. Then, begin adding the reserved chocolate a little at a time and vigorously stirring the mixture, without stopping. Continue to add the reserved seed chocolate and agitating until the chocolate comes down to 90°F. The chocolate is now tempered. Check to be sure that there are no solid pieces of chocolate left in the bowl.
• Wave the mold over a flame on the stove or place it in a warm oven for just a moment to warm it up slightly (this will help the chocolate flow over it, rather than seizing up immediately when it hits the mold, which prevents air bubbles from forming). Then pour the chocolate into each of the cavities in the mold. Allow it to stand for 10 seconds, then invert the mold over the bowl, allowing the excess chocolate to run off. Tap the mold to shake out additional excess, then turn the mold back over. With a flexible metal scraper, scrape over the top, cleaning off any excess chocolate on the sides. Place the mold in the fridge for 2-3 minutes, then remove.
• Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt into each of the shells. Using a piping bag fitted with a small tip or a cone of parchment, pipe the cooled caramel into the shells, stopping a 3-4 millimeters below the edge (it's very important to leave room, otherwise the chocolates will not seal). Ensure that the chocolate is still tempered (if it is not, you will need to bring it back to 115°F once again, then down to 90°F, otherwise, your bonbons will be streaky on the bottom). Pipe or pour chocolate over the tops of each bonbon. Scrape the top clean to create a seal, then place the mold in the fridge for 2-3 minutes and remove. Twist the mold to release the chocolates, then turn it upside down and tap them out of the mold. Clear the work surface of bonbons, and pound the mold against the counter to release any stragglers. Store the chocolates in a cool, dry place.

CHEWY, SALTY PEANUTTY CARAMEL BROWNIES

Steps:

• For the caramel: Very lightly grease the inside of a 2-cup glass measuring cup with oil. Combine the granulated sugar and butter in a small deep saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. (Don't worry if the mixture looks curdled and then separated-it will come together.) Cook, stirring, until it looks like dark peanut butter, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring the heavy cream to a simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan. When the butter mixture is the right color, remove from the heat and slowly and very carefully whisk in the hot cream-it will bubble up and steam, so be careful. Put the pot back over medium heat, bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook about 1 minute. Pour into the prepared measuring cup and cool to room temperature. (The caramel can be made the night before and kept, covered, at room temperature. You can warm it very briefly in a microwave so that it is pourable, but be careful not to overheat. It should not be too loose.)
• For the brownie: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut a piece of foil 9 by 20-inches. Butter the corners and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with the foil so that the excess hangs over at each of the short sides of the pan. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, being careful that the bowl does not touch the water. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula until smooth.
• Whisk the eggs, sugars and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir the chocolate into the egg mixture using a rubber spatula, and then stir in the flour until just combined. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the peanuts.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Drizzle the caramel over the top, using a butter knife to swirl it into the batter. Coarsely chop the remaining 1/2 cup peanuts and scatter over the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Be sure to insert the toothpick in a spot that does not have too much caramel.
• Place on a cooling rack and, while still slightly warm, run a butter knife between the brownie and the long sides of the pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• When the brownie has cooled completely, place a lightweight cutting board or a baking rack over the top of the pan. Flip and set on the counter. Gently pull the pan from the foil and the foil from the pan to remove. Gently peel the foil off the brownie. Place another lightweight cutting board on top, and flip the brownie right-side-up. Slice into 1 1/2-inch squares.

BUTTERSCOTCH BON-BONS

Steps:

• Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler over barely simmering water, whisking until completely melted. Melt butterscotch morsels in a large glass bowl in the microwave on 50 percent power, whisking after 1 minute, and then returning to microwave for 1 more minute.
• With a small ice cream scoop, scoop as many ice cream balls as desired, place them on a sheet tray, and put tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes or until re-frozen. Drizzle melted butterscotch and chocolate over ice cream scoops. Return to freezer until ready to serve.

CARAMEL GANACHE

Steps:

• Whisk 4 ounces chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate into the warm caramel sauce until smooth. Drizzle over vanilla ice cream.

TIRAMISU BON BONS

Steps:

• Using a melon baller or small ice cream scoop, spoon out balls from the tray of tiramisu to create the bon bons. Freeze the bon bons on a cookie sheet for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler until smooth and glossy. Dip frozen tiramisu bon bons in melted chocolate until covered on all sides. Place the bon bons on a cookie sheet covered in parchment or waxed paper and return them to the freezer. Take bon bons out of freezer and let them thaw for about 15 minutes before serving.

HAZELNUT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line 9-inch square baking pan with 2-inch high sides with heavy-duty aluminum foil, extending foil over sides of pan. Butter foil.
• Melt 1 cup of butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add both sugars, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk and stir until sugar dissolves. Scape seeds from vanilla into mixture; add bean. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of saucepan. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil. Cook mixture 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Using tongs, remove vanilla bean and discard. Continue cooking until candy thermometer registers 242°F, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes longer. Immediately remove from heat; stir in hazelnuts. Quickly pour caramel into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool until firm, about 1 hour.
• Using buttered heavy large knife, score 8 lines lengthwise to depth of 1/4 inch in caramel, then score 8 lines crosswise. Using aluminum foil as aid, lift caramel out of pan. Using same buttered heavy large knife, cut caramel on scored lines into pieces. Wrap each piece of caramel in cellophane. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Store caramels in airtight containers.)