Chocolate Dipped Caramel Squares Recipes

CHOCOLATE COVERED CARAMELS

Steps:

• Grease an 8 x 8 inch square pan.
• In a heavy 4 quart saucepan melt butter over medium heat; add brown sugar, corn syrup and milk. Stirring constantly, heat to 242 to 248 degrees F (116 to 120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour into prepared pan.
• When caramel has cooled and set, cut into 1 inch squares. Chill in refrigerator until firm.
• Melt chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave. Stir until smooth.
• Dip caramel squares in chocolate and place on wax paper to cool.

SWEET CHOCOLATE CARAMEL SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix flour, butter, and brown sugar together in a bowl; press into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle pecans and coconut over crust. Pour sweetened condensed milk over pecans and coconut.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Heat caramels and milk together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour caramel sauce over baked sweetened condensed milk. Sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED SALTED CARAMEL MARSHMALLOWS

Steps:

• Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable oil. Using a small, fine-mesh sieve, dust the pan generously with confectioners' sugar, knocking out any excess.
• Put 2/3 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Sprinkle the gelatin into the bowl and stir briefly to make sure all the gelatin is in contact with water. Let soften while you make the sugar syrup.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer and keep hot, covered. Meanwhile, in a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water and place over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring and bring the syrup to a boil, washing down the sides of the pan occasionally with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil until the syrup begins to caramelize. Continue cooking, swirling the pan gently once or twice, until the syrup is a deep golden caramel color.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and standing back, carefully add the 1/2 cup hot water-it will bubble up and steam. Whisk the caramel until smooth, then whisk in the corn syrup and salt. Return the pan to moderate heat and bring the sugar syrup to a boil. Put a candy thermometer into the boiling sugar syrup and continue boiling (the mixture may foam up, so turn the heat down slightly if necessary), without stirring, until the thermometer registers 240°F (soft-ball stage). Remove the pan from the heat and let stand briefly until the bubbles dissipate slightly.
• With the mixer on low speed, pour the hot syrup into the softened gelatin in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the mixer speed to high and beat until the marshmallow is very thick and forms a thick ribbon when the whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
• Scrape the marshmallow into the prepared pan (it will be very sticky) and use wet fingertips to spread it evenly and smooth the top. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature until the surface is no longer sticky and you can gently pull the marshmallow away from the sides of the pan with your fingertips, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Dust a cutting board with confectioners' sugar. Use a rubber spatula to pull the sides of the marshmallow from the edge of the pan (use the spatula to loosen the marshmallow from the bottom of the pan if necessary) and invert onto the cutting board. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar. Brush a long thin knife or a chef's knife with vegetable oil and dust with confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking; continue dusting the knife as necessary. Cut lengthwise into 8 strips, then crosswise into eighths, to form a total of 64 squares. (For larger marshmallows, cut lengthwise into 6 strips, then crosswise into sixths, to form a total of 36 squares.) Coat marshmallows, one at a time, in confectioners' sugar, using a pastry brush to brush off any excess.
• In a dry metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring until smooth. Working with one marshmallow at a time, brush the marshmallow again to remove any excess confectioners' sugar then dip one smooth side about 1/4 inch into the chocolate to coat it, scraping any excess chocolate on the edge of the bowl. Sprinkle the chocolate-covered side of the marshmallow with a few flakes of sea salt, then transfer, chocolate side up, to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let stand until the chocolate is set. DO AHEAD: Marshmallows-without chocolate-can be stored, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment in an airtight container in a dry place at cool room temperature, for 1 month. Chocolate-dipped marshmallows can be stored in the same manner, but will only keep for about 2 days.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CRACKER BARS

Steps:

• Line a 9-in. square baking pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter. Arrange a single layer of crackers in the pan., In a large saucepan, combine milk, brown sugar, corn syrup and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to maintain a low boil; cook and stir 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Evenly spread a third of the mixture over the crackers. Repeat cracker and caramel layers twice., Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel; let stand 3-5 minutes or until glossy. Spread over top. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or until chocolate is set. Using foil, lift layers out of pan; cut into 3x1-in. bars.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED CARAMEL SQUARES

Steps:

• Unwrap each carmel square and Place a toothpick or party pick in each one.
• Melt chocolate according to directions.
• Dip each carmel square in melted chocolate.
• Dip in topping of your choice.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED HAZELNUT CARAMEL SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan with foil. Mix flour, brown sugar, and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add 3/4 cup butter; using on/off turns, process until coarse meal forms. Transfer to pan; press firmly and evenly onto bottom of pan. Bake crust until golden, about 20 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• Bring 6 tablespoons butter, 2/3 cup sugar, cream, honey, and finely grated orange peel to boil in heavy small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Boil until candy thermometer registers 230°F, about 6 minutes. Stir in nuts and candied orange peel.
• Spoon hot nut mixture evenly over crust in pan. Return to oven and bake until entire surface is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Using foil as aid, lift cookie from pan. Carefully peel foil from edges. Cut warm cookie into 1 1/2-inch squares. Cool cookies completely.
• Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper. Melt chocolate in small metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until warm to touch. Remove bowl from over water. Dip corner or edge of each cookie in melted chocolate and place on prepared baking sheet. Chill until chocolate is set, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: cookies can be made up to 3 weeks ahead. Store in airtight container in freezer. Bring cookies to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with 1/4 cup milk; stir until smooth. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in dry cake mix and remaining milk., Spread half of the dough into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes; sprinkle with chocolate chips. , Gently spread caramel mixture over chips. Drop remaining dough by tablespoonfuls over caramel layer. Return to the oven for 15 minutes.