Fruit Caramel Recipes

FRUIT CARAMEL

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until it all melts into a light gold syrup, 5 to 6 minutes. Continue to cook to a golden brown color, about 1 minute more. Carefully add the fruit all at once and reduce the heat to medium-low. The hot syrup may bubble and become foamy.
• Continue to cook, stirring constantly until any hard clumps of caramel dissolve and the fruit pieces soften and break down, about 4 minutes. Stir in the salt and heavy cream until there are no white streaks then remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl and use immediately, or cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
• Serve warm as a topping for ice cream, pies or tarts, or use as a caramel filling for layered cake or trifles. If cold, reheat gently in a small saucepan over low heat.

CARAMEL-DIPPED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place several pieces of newspaper or parchment paper on the floor under the working area - the edge of a counter or tabletop works well - to catch any excess caramel as it drips off the fruit. Have ready 24 two-inch pieces of masking tape and 24 six-inch wooden skewers.
• Insert each skewer perpendicularly into the bottoms of the fruit without going through the other side. Set the fruit aside.
• Dip the fruit into the caramel coating, and coat completely. Place the skewers on the edge of the counter or tabletop with the fruit stems pointed toward the floor. Using the masking tape, secure skewers. If coating segmented fruit, rest sections on an oiled wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let caramel drip onto the floor, forming tails; let the caramel set completely.
• Using scissors, cut the tails to the desired lengths; let cool completely. Just before serving, remove the skewers.

OVEN-ROASTED FRUIT WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the dried fruit and raisins in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand for 30 minutes, or until the fruit has plumped. Drain off all the soaking liquid, reserving 1 cup.
• Place the fruit and the reserved soaking liquid in a large saucepan. Add the wine, ginger, cloves, star anise, and cinnamon stick, place over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to a low simmer, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the fruit is quite soft. Remove from the heat and drain well, discarding the spices.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Lightly butter a baking sheet. Spread the poached fruit and the nuts out on the baking sheet, leaving space between the fruit. Brush the tops with the melted butter. Roast for 10 minutes, or until the fruit is just beginning to color. Serve in individual bowls, drizzled with caramel sauce.
• Combine the brown and granulated sugars with 1 cup cold water in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 12 minutes, or until the syrup is a rich caramel color, brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush from time to time to dissolve any sugar crystals that form.
• Taking care as the syrup may bubble over, whisk in the corn syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla and bring to a simmer. Carefully whisk in the cream, bring to a boil, and boil gently for 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick. Whisk in the butter and serve hot.

CARAMEL-DIPPED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place the water, sugar, and corn syrup in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. The corn syrup will make the cooked sugar harder and crunchier; it will also help prevent the cooked sugar from melting as quickly when it reacts to the humidity in the air. Insert a candy thermometer and cook the sugar mixture to 311 degrees F (155 degrees C), what is known as the hard crack stage. Stir the sugar slowly as it cooks to ensure that it cooks evenly. If you do not stir it, the mixture will develop hot spots and the sugar will cook faster in those spots. Use a pastry brush to keep the inside of the saucepan clean as the sugar cooks, or the sugar may recrystallize. To do this, dip a clean brush in cold water and brush the inside of the pan clean.
• Remove the cooked sugar from the heat and pour it into a medium-size heatproof glass bowl. The glass bowl will hold the temperature and stop the cooking process. It will also allow you to reheat the sugar in the microwave if necessary. If you leave he sugar in the saucepan, the sugar will continue to cook and turn dark brown. Occasionally stir the hot sugar to keep it from darkening due to the residual heat. Stirring also helps to keep its temperature even. I put a towel under the bowl to keep it from tipping and to protect my hands from the heat of the glass.
• Peel, core or pit, and halve the fruit as necessary. Use a sharp knife to slice the fruit into small pieces. (This is not necessary for berries or grapes.) Arrange the fruit on toothpicks or small skewers in any combination you like. Leave enough room at one end of the toothpick or skewer so you will be able to hold it as you dip it in the hot sugar. Dip each toothpick in the hot sugar, coating the fruits completely. Wipe the toothpick against the rim of the bowl to remove any excess sugar and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Repeat until all of the fruit has been dipped. The fruit skewers should release easily from the parchment paper as soon as they cool. You can arrange them on a plate or use your imagination to make a fruit skewer centerpiece.