Chocolate Caramel Puffs Recipes

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS RECIPE

Steps:

• Line a 9 x 13 inch quarter sheet pan with parchment paper. Butter the pan first so that the parchment paper sticks to the pan - this is optional, but will give you smoother edges to your caramels. Dissolve the coffee in the vanilla extract and set aside.
• Place all the ingredients, except for the coffee granules and vanilla extract, in a large pot.
• Heat over medium high heat, while stirring (with a whisk or spatula) occasionally, until all the ingredients melt to form a smooth liquid.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, and lower the heat to medium. Continue to cook the caramel chocolate base, while stirring frequently to make sure the caramel doesn't burn at the bottom.
• Cook until the mixture reaches a temperature between 242 - 245°F. Then immediately whisk in the vanilla and coffee mixture.
• Remove the pot from the heat, and pour the mixture into the prepared quarter sheet pan. Please be careful as the sugar mixture is EXTREMELY HOT at this stage. Do NOT get it on your hands, or be tempted to lick / taste it!
• Allow the caramel to cool slightly. While the surface is still soft, sprinkle extra sea salt flakes (like maldon) on top.
• The caramel should cool completely to room temperature. Wrap the tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it hardens. I like to keep the caramel in the fridge overnight.
• Once chilled, remove from the fridge and then the pan. If the butter on the tray is making it hard to remove the parchment paper, keep the tray on a kitchen towel soaked in warm water. This will help release the parchment paper.
• Keep the caramel slab on a cutting board, and allow it to soften a little (to room temperature).
• Using a long, sharp, dry, clean knife (not a serrated knife), cut the caramel into pieces. The pieces can be whatever size you like. Wipe the knife clean between cuts, so that you get nice clean cuts. I prefer to cut the caramels into 0.75 x 1.5 inch pieces, or 1 x 1 inch squares.

CARAMEL PUFFS

Steps:

• Dip marshmallows halfway into the warm caramel. Let the excess drip off, then dip in crushed pretzels and place on a lightly oiled parchment-lined baking sheet until set. Drizzle with melted chocolate.

SOFT CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, stir the sugar and corn syrup together until the sugar is completely moistened. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until it turns a very light caramel color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and very slowly pour the cream into the hot sugar (be careful-it will bubble up) and stir to combine. Return the mixture to medium-low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer inserted in the pot reads 238 degrees F, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter until smooth. Pour the mixture into a greased 8-by-8 inch square baking dish. Allow to cool completely (at least 2 hours) before cutting into 1-inch squares.
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.
• From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make at Home, by Jacques Torres.

CARAMEL CREAM PUFFS WITH CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• In 3-quart saucepan, mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water with wooden spoon. Heat over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, without stirring, until sugar turns dark golden brown and just begins to smoke. (Do not allow to burn.)
• Immediately add 2 cups whipping cream, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. (Be careful-mixture will bubble furiously and be very hot.) Reduce heat to low. Stir constantly until any lumps of sugar melt. When mixture is smooth, remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour into large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until cold.
• Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper if desired.
• In heavy 3-quart saucepan, heat 3/4 cup water, 6 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and the salt to boiling over medium heat. Quickly stir in flour. Mixture will form a sticky paste. Cook about 1 minute, stirring vigorously, until mixture is stiff and smooth and forms a ball. Remove from heat.
• Add 1 of the eggs and stir vigorously with spoon until smooth (it will look like the egg will not blend in, but keep stirring and it will). Once egg is blended, add remaining egg and the egg white. Stir vigorously until dough is smooth and thick.
• Spoon about 3 tablespoons dough into a mound on parchment-lined or ungreased cookie sheet. The mound should be about 2 inches wide and 1 1/2 inches high (you can also use pastry bag to pipe dough into mounds). Repeat with remaining dough, making 8 equal mounds placed at least 2 inches apart. If the mounds have peaks, wet your fingertips and smooth them down.
• Bake dough 35 to 40 minutes or until puffs are very crisp and dark golden brown. Cool puffs on wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter and the corn syrup over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown sugar melts and mixture bubbles. Add 1/2 cup whipping cream and stir until brown sugar dissolves and cream simmers. Remove from heat and stir in bittersweet and unsweetened chocolates until smooth. Stir in peanut butter.
• Beat cold cream mixture with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Use serrated knife to cut each cream puff in half horizontally. Divide whipped cream evenly among puffs and replace tops. Place cream puffs on serving plates and spoon sauce over tops.