Charlottes Caramels Recipes

CARAMELS

Steps:

• Combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, cream, condensed milk, corn syrup and salt in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the mixture reaches 245 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Take from the heat and stir in the butter. Pour into a 6-inch square baking pan lined with parchment and allow to cool and set about 3 hours.
• Take the caramel from the pan and, using a very sharp knife gently sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, cut the caramels into squares and wrap in wax paper or candy wrappers (see Cook's Note). Store in a cool dry place.

CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Make the caramel: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Divide sugar evenly between two 4-cup charlotte molds; add 2 tablespoons water to each and swirl to combine (do not stir). Place molds over low heat; cover, and cook until sugar has dissolved.
• Uncover molds and increase heat to high; cook, swirling, until sugar mixture begins to caramelize. Remove from heat and immediately plunge molds into ice-water baths to stop cooking, about 30 seconds. Swirl caramel to evenly cover bottom of molds; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Make the custard: Place cream, milk, and vanilla bean and seeds or extract in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk sugar with eggs and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Remove vanilla bean from milk mixture; whisking constantly, gradually add milk mixture to egg mixture. Strain and divide custard evenly between both charlotte molds.
• Place charlotte molds in a roasting pan. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the molds. Transfer pan to oven and bake until custard is firm, about 45 minutes. Remove custards from pan and let cool; transfer to refrigerator until chilled.
• To unmold, run a sharp knife or offset spatula around the edge of the custard; dip mold into hot water to help remove if necessary. Quickly invert onto serving dish. Pour any remaining caramel around the custard; serve.

CHARLOTTE AUX POIRES WILLIAM ET CARAMEL

Steps:

• Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and add the sugar and pinch of salt. Beat the mixture until it is thick, with a light yellow color.
• Combine the milk and vanilla bean in a saucepan and bring the mixture almost, but not quite, to the boil.
• Remove the vanilla bean and gradually add the milk to the egg mixture, beating constantly until all the milk is fully incorporated. Pour this mixture back into a saucepan and cook over very low heat, constantly scraping the bottom with a spoon or whisk. Cook until it coats a spoon like a thick custard. Do not let the sauce boil, or it will curdle. Immediately remove the saucepan from the stove, stirring constantly.
• Dissolve the gelatin in a quarter cup of warm water and stir this into the warm sauce until it is thoroughly dissolved.
• While the custard is cooking, in a heavy pot or sugar pan, add the sugar, salt, vanilla extract and two tablespoons of water. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring, until it is richly browned but not burned. Add this caramel to the sauce. Allow the mixture to cool thoroughly.
• Make the whipped cream (see recipe). Fold the cream into the mixture. Drain very well the can of pears and cut them into half-inch pieces. Fold the pear pieces into the mixture.
• Line the bottom of a two-quart tinned charlotte mold with parchment paper. Cut and trim the ladyfingers into triangles. Arrange them tightly together in the bottom of the mold. Then arrange them on the sides of the mold by placing them parallel to each other.
• Fill the charlotte mold with the pear mixture to the top of the mold. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let it rest for at least four hours in the refrigerator before unmolding.

CARAMELS I

Steps:

• Butter a 9x13 inch dish.
• In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, 1 cup cream and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring often, then stir in remaining 1 cup cream. Heat, without stirring, to 242 degrees F (116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and pour into prepared dish. Refrigerate.
• When cool, return candies to room temperature then cut into 1 inch squares and wrap in waxed paper.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 9x5-in. loaf pan with foil and grease the foil with butter; set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, corn syrup and chocolate to a boil over medium heat; stir until smooth. Add 1/2 cup cream; cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage). Add another 1/2 cup cream; return mixture to 234° (soft-ball stage). Add the remaining cream; cook to 245° (firm-ball stage)., Immediately pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm, about 5 hours or overnight. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Discard foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares using a buttered knife. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

THE REDNECK'S BEST CARAMELS

Steps:

• Butter a square pan and line it with foil. Butter the foil as well.
• Combine ingredients in a heavy pan except vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 248 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into the pan and set on a wire rack. Cool completely. Turn out and cut into squares and wrap in waxed paper.
• For caramel apples: Wash and dry apples completely (air dry is best) and stick the sticks into the BOTTOM of the apples. They will sit better if you stick them from the bottom instead of the top. Make the caramel and dip the apples and sit them on buttered waxed paper. I tried parchment paper and it didn't work as well as I'd hoped. I always eat any excess caramel with a spoon~a yummy treat for the hard-working chef!

CARAMEL PEAR CHARLOTTES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make charlottes:
• Peel and core pears and cut into 1/4-inch dice. With a knife halve vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into a small bowl. In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling kettle, until deep golden. Remove kettle from heat and carefully add pears and vanilla bean pod and seeds (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Cook mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel is dissolved and pears are tender but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Drain pear mixture in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve any pear juices for sauce. Discard vanilla bean pod.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Butter bread slices on 1 side. Using 12 slices of bread, cut 6 bread rounds to fit in bottoms of six 2/3-cup charlotte molds or ramekins and cut 6 rounds the same size as tops of molds or ramekins. Discard crusts from remaining 8 bread slices and cut slices into 1 1/4-inch-wide strips. Put bottom rounds, buttered sides down, in molds or ramekins and arrange strips vertically, buttered sides against insides of molds or ramekins, slightly overlapping and pressing them gently to adhere. Trim any overhang flush with rims. Divide pear mixture among molds or ramekins and top with remaining rounds, buttered sides up, pressing gently. Charlottes may be made up to this point 3 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
• Bake charlottes on a baking sheet in middle of oven until bread is golden, about 25 minutes.
• Make sauce:
• In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook sugar over moderately low heat, stirring slowly with a fork (to help sugar melt evenly), until melted and pale golden. Cook caramel, without stirring, gently swirling kettle, until deep golden. Remove kettle from heat and carefully add cream, butter, and any reserved pear juices (mixture will vigorously steam and caramel will harden). Simmer mixture, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and stir in poire William. Invert charlottes onto 6 plates and spoon sauce over them.

CARAMELS II

Steps:

• Butter a 9x13 inch dish.
• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, brown sugar, 1 cup condensed milk and corn syrup. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Pour in remaining milk. Heat, without stirring, to 250 to 265 degrees F (121 to 129 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool before cutting into 1 inch squares.