Black Pepper And Bourbon Caramel Chews Recipes

BLACK PEPPER AND BOURBON CARAMEL CHEWS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment and coat with cooking spray.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, combine sugar, cream, honey, bourbon and salt. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot. Cook mixture, stirring frequently, until it reaches 245 degrees, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the pot. Quickly stir in butter and pepper.
• Pour mixture into prepared pan. Let cool completely until it is set to a semi-firm consistency, about an hour. Cut into 50 rectangular pieces and wrap in parchment paper, cellophane or other candy wrappers, twisting ends to seal.

BOURBON PECAN CHEWS

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, allspice, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
• Melt molasses and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Stir in bourbon. Transfer to a medium bowl; whisk in sugar until smooth. Stir in flour mixture and 1 cup pecans. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scoop balls of dough using a 11/4-inch (1 ounce) ice cream scoop; roll in remaining 3 cups pecans. Space 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until flattened and lightly colored on edges, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool on sheets 3 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.

BOURBON PEPPER PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Season both sides of the steaks generously with salt and pepper. Be especially generous with the pepper.
• Melt duck fat in a steel pan over medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook until firm and reddish-pink in the center for medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side. Sear the edges until browned, about 30 seconds each. Transfer steaks to a plate; let rest while you make the sauce. Turn off the heat.
• Stir garlic into the same pan using a spoon. Add 1 teaspoon butter; let melt. Pour in bourbon. Heat until reduced to a sticky glaze, about 15 seconds. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat while scraping up the browned bits at the bottom to deglaze. Cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add heavy cream; season with salt and cayenne pepper. Boil until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn off heat and add remaining 2 teaspoons butter; swirl until melted, about 30 seconds more. Spoon sauce warm onto serving plates. Place steaks on top.

SALTED CARAMEL-BOURBON SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan but not stirring, until dark amber, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Whisk in 2 tablespoons bourbon. Let cool completely; transfer to jars and refrigerate. (Makes about 2 cups.)

SALT AND PEPPER CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some paper hanging over the edges of the dish. Spray the parchment and the exposed sides of the dish with cooking spray.
• Combine the cream, butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter melts; remove from the heat and set aside.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook, swirling occasionally, until the syrup is medium-amber colored and registers 310 to 320 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the cream mixture. Return to medium heat and cook until the caramel reaches 245 degrees F. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and 2 teaspoons peppercorns. Pour the caramel into the prepared dish and tap it against the counter a few times to help get rid of air bubbles. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons peppercorns. Let cool to room temperature. Cover the baking dish and let set completely, 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Lift the caramel out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang and transfer on the paper to a cutting board. Cut the caramels into candies with a very sharp knife. (If the caramels stick to your knife, spray your knife with nonstick cooking spray.) Cut squares of wax paper a little bigger than your caramels. Wrap each caramel in a piece of wax paper and twist the ends closed. Caramels will keep at room temperature for about 2 weeks.

CARAMELIZED PEARS WITH BLACK PEPPER-CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove seeds from pear halves with a large melon baller, and trim off 1/4 inch from the bottom of each pear half so it will stand upright on a plate. Place the water in a 12-inch nonstick skillet and pour the sugar into the center of the pan, taking care not to let the crystals adhere to the sides of the pan. bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is bubbling wildly. Add the pears to the skillet, cut-side down, cover, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook until the pears are nearly tender (a paring knife inserted into the center of the pears feels slight resistance).
• Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the sauce is golden brown and the cut sides of the pears are partly caramilzed, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the heavy cream around the pears and cook, shaking the pan back and forth, until the sauce is a smooth, deep caramel color and the cut sides of the pears are beautifully golden 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Using tongs, carefully remove the pears from the pan and place cut-side up on a wire rack set over a trimmed baking sheet. Cool slightly. Season the sauce left in the pan with salt to taste and the crushed black pepper, then pour it into a liquid measuring cup.
• Carefully (the pears will still be hot) stand each pear half upright on an individual plate and arrange a wedge of the blue sheese beside it. Drizzle the plate and some of the pear with the caramel sauce. Serve immediately. (Alternatively, the pears can be stood upright on a large serving platter, and the warm caramel sauce and the blue cheese can be passed separately.).
• TECHNIQUE: Coring a Pear 1. Cut the fruit in half from stem to blossom end. Use a melon baller to cut around the central core with a circular motion. 2. Draw the melon baller from the central core to the top of the pear, removing the interior portion of the stem as you go.