Caramel Boings Recipes

CARAMEL BOINGS

Steps:

• Place the sugar in a saucepan. Pour the water around the edge of the pan carefully to avoid any splashing up of the water or sugar crystals onto the walls of the pan. Draw your finger through it in an "X" to let the water infiltrate the sugar completely. Bring the sugar water to a boil and, without stirring, continue to cook until amber colored.
• Meanwhile, oil the sharpening steel very lightly with vegetable oil.
• Test the color of the caramel periodically by placing a drop of it on a white plate. When it?s slightly lighter than you want it to be, stop the cooking by placing the bottom of the pot in a bowl of ice water. Swirl it a bit to distribute the cooling. When the caramel has cooled enough to slowly fall from a spoon, gather up a glob (about 1 tablespoon) on the dessert spoon and hold it over the saucepan. Let it drop and, once you have a strand falling from the spoon, hold the sharpening steel over the sauce pan and wind the strand around it. Work your way up the steel, forming a spring, and when you reach the end of the steel, pinch the end of the caramel to cut it off.
• Let cool slightly, about 30 seconds, then slide it off the steel. Place in an airtight container with folded parchment paper in between each boing.

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.