Chewy Caramel Pecan Diamonds Recipes

CHEWY CARAMEL PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and butter and flour a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan, knocking out excess.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 tablespoon vanilla and eggs. Sift in flour with salt and baking powder and beat until just blended.
• Spoon batter into pan, spreading it evenly, and bake in middle of oven until it pulls away slightly from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with crumbs adhering, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool base completely in pan on a rack.
• Bring granulated sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt, and water to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Continue to boil mixture, without stirring, until it turns a golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully add cream and remaining 1/2 tablespoon vanilla (mixture will bubble up and steam). Return pan to moderate heat and cook, stirring until smooth. Stir in pecans and immediately pour mixture over base, tilting baking pan and spreading evenly.
• Cool mixture completely in pan on rack and cut into bars.

CHEWY CARAMEL

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 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. Cook for 2 minutes at that temperature. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
• Meanwhile, butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. When the caramel is ready, pour into the buttered pan. Allow to cool completely at room temperature. Remove from the pan and cut into squares using scissors. Wrap individual pieces in waxed paper or cellophane.

CARAMEL PECANS

Steps:

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with 2 teaspoons butter and set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, corn syrup, 1 cup cream and the remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the remaining cream. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage)., Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Discard foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

PECAN CHEWIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan, or for thinner bars, use a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Stir the eggs and vanilla into the brown sugar and butter. Mix in the chopped pecans, and then the flour. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

CHEWY PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• for crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, leaving 1-inch overhang on all sides.
• Butter foil.
• Blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in processor.
• Add butter and process until mixture begins to clump together.
• Press dough evenly onto bottom of foil-lined pan.
• Bake crust until set and light golden, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Let stand while preparing topping.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• for topping: Stir brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils; boil 1 minute.
• Add pecans and cream; boil until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour hot topping over warm crust.
• Bake nut-topped crust until caramel is darker and bubbles thickly, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer pan to rack.
• Cool completely in pan (topping will harden).
• Lift foil out of pan onto cutting board.
• Using heavy sharp knife, cut crust with nut topping into 1 1/2x1-inch diamonds.
• (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.) Makes about 32.

CARAMEL PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• For the dough, combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well to mix. Cut the butter into 8 to 10 pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Rub the butter in finely; be careful that the mixture remains cool and powdery. Beat the eggs lightly and stir them into the dough with a fork. Continue stirring until the dough masses together. Remove the dough to a floured surface and knead lightly, until the dough is smooth. Form the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick and wrap in plastic. Chill the dough until it is firm, about 1 hour.
• Butter a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan. Roll the dough to a rectangle about 12 x 17 inches. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, then unroll it into the pan. Press the dough well into the bottom and sides of the pan and fold the excess dough into the pan. Make a high fluted edge around the edge of the pan. Chill the dough-lined pan while preparing the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the corn syrup and sugar in a saucepan and mix well. Place on medium heat and stir occasionally, until the syrup comes to a boil. At the boil, add the butter and cream and return to a boil. Simmer the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and rum.
• Place the chopped pecans in a heatproof mixing bowl. Pour the cooked syrup over the pecans and stir well to mix. Pour the filling on the dough in the pan and spread it evenly with a metal spatula.
• Bake the pastry on the lowest rack of the oven for about 30 minutes. Turn the pan occasionally to make sure that the dough and the filling bake evenly. Remove the pan from the oven and cool it on a rack to room temperature. Wrap the pan in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• To unmold the pastry, run a small, sharp knife between the crust and the sides of the pan. Place the pan on low heat for a few seconds to loosen the pastry. Place a cookie sheet on the top and invert. Remove the pan in which the pastry baked and replace it with a cutting board. Invert, remove the cookie sheet and trim away the edges of the pastry.
• Cut the pastry into 1 1/2- inch diamonds.

CHEWY CARAMEL PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides; butter foil.
• In a food processor, blend the flour confectioner's sugar, cornstarch and salt for a couple of seconds.
• Add in 3/4 cup COld butter (cut into chunks); process until mixture begins to clump together.
• Press the dough evenly onto the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan.
• Bake until light and golden, about 25 minutes (don't overbake).
• Remove from oven; let stand while preparing the topping.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• FOR TOPPING: stir the brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture boils; boil for 1 minute.
• Add in the pecans and the whipping cream; boil until the mixture thickens slightly (about 3 minutes).
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour over the warm baked crust.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is darker, and bubbles thickly.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack; cool completely in the pan (topping will harden).
• In a double boiler, melt the caramels with 2-3 tsp whipping cream.
• Drizzle over the top of the cooked nut topping; cool.
• Lift foil out of the pan onto a cutting board.
• Using a heavy, sharp knife, cut the crust with nut topping into 1-1/2 x 1-inch diamonds.
• These keep for up to 1 week.

PECAN CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with butter. Set aside. , In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until smooth and blended, about 10 minutes. Stir in milk and remaining cream. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage), about 25 minutes. , Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan; cut into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper.

PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• To prepare the dough, put the butter, sugar, shortening, egg yolks and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and beat to blend well.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and fold this into the butter mixture. Shape into a soft ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• Be advised that the pastry in this recipe may crack or fall slightly apart when it is transferred to a baking dish. If it does, it may be patched with the fingers.
• Have ready a rimmed baking dish measuring about 8 by 12 inches. Remove the ball of dough from the refrigerator and let it stand to soften briefly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Shape the dough by hand into a rectangle measuring about 4 by 8 inches.
• Lay out a length of clear plastic wrap on a flat baking sheet and place the dough in the center. Cover with a second length of clear plastic wrap and roll the dough out into a rectangle measuring about 8 by 12 inches. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap. Invert the baking dish over the dough and quickly turn both the baking dish and the dough, letting the dough fall into the dish to cover the bottom of it. If the dough breaks or falls apart, it may be patched with the fingers with bits of dough.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork.
• Bake the dough for 10 minutes. Let it cool while you prepare the filling. Let the heat in the oven remain constant at 350 degrees.
• To prepare the filling, combine the butter, honey, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring, exactly three minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let cool. Fold in the pecans and stir in the cream. Blend well and immediately pour onto the baked crust. Spread evenly over the crust. It is advisable to cover the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil to catch any drippings. Place in the oven and bake 35 minutes. Let cool completely. Run a knife around the outside edge of the candy. It may be unmolded. Cut the candy into diamond shapes.