Chocolate: Caramels

Caramelized Nuts
-similar to the super saturation of rock sugar- same thought
-take sugar and water to 220 degrees, add nuts

-use untoasted nuts- the caramelizing process cooks them

-stir- added a contaminant – sugar crystallizing
-looks sandy

-sugar will melt then caramelize- this part toasts the nuts
-can use cereal to make caramelized/ croquant to add crunch to a dessert
-can add salt or spices once caramelizes

-to make dragees, coat nuts in tempered chocolate and then toss in powdered sugar




Fleur de Sel Chewy Caramel
1 1/3 c /9.8 oz heavy cream
10.5 oz granulated sugar
½ c / 5.5 oz corn syrup
1/3 c / 3.8 oz honey
6 T / 3 oz soft butter
1 t vanilla paste
2 t salt

-bring cream to a boil; add sugar, corn syrup, and honey

-bring back to boil and stir constantly with wooden spoon until boils- don’t want to incorporate air so don’t need to whisk, don’t want dairy to scorch, constant stirring encourages even evaporation

-rigorous stir is best
-cook to 257 degrees- it wont get that dark
-remove from heat and add butter, vanilla, and salt

-pour into silpat between bars or quarter sheet pan lined with parchment and lightly sprayed

-spread thin layer of tempered chocolate on top; this will serve as the base when dipping the caramels
-cut into 1" squares
-dip into tempered chocolate

Turtles
12 oz sugar
3 oz water
2 oz glucose
9 oz cream
pecans/ cashews as needed

-toast nuts and position on silpat in little 1” clusters

-cook sugar, glucose, and water to an amber caramel
-add the cream

-cook to 245 degrees
-remove from heat and let cool slightly

-spoon onto nut piles

-let the caramel set up a bit then form the cluster into a cohesive mass/flattened out ball
-let cool fully
-dip in tempered chocolate, let set on silpat
-garnish accordingly