Gingerbread Caramels Recipes

GINGERBREAD CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of 11x7-inch pan with foil, leaving foil overhanging at 2 opposite sides of pan; spray foil with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream, butter, corn syrup, salt and gingerroot over medium heat to simmering, stirring often. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
• In 3-quart saucepan, cook sugar and water over medium heat until melted and amber in color. Remove from heat. Discard gingerroot from warm cream mixture. Slowly add cream mixture to melted sugar, stirring constantly with wire whisk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve any hardened sugar. Boil uncovered about 36 minutes to 246°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water forms a firm ball that holds its shape until pressed.
• Remove from heat; stir in crushed cookies. Immediately pour mixture into pan; sprinkle with crystallized ginger, pressing down slightly. Cool completely overnight. Use foil to lift out of pan. Cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Wrap caramels individually in waxed paper. Store up to 1 week.

GINGERBREAD CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment. (Related: Kitchen Tip: Lining Pans with Parchment)
• Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.
• Pre-measure the spices and salt out into a small bowl. Pre-measure the vanilla into another small bowl. You will need to access these ingredients very quickly at the end of the recipe.
• Combine the sugar, molasses, and water in a 4 to 5-quart heavy saucepan over medium high heat.
• Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until all of the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is a deep amber color.
• Turn heat to low. Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up).
• Return heat to medium to medium-high and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel temperature registers no higher than 248°F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and immediately whisk in the vanilla, salt and spices. Pour into baking pan.
• Once the mixture has cooled slightly but is still tacky to the touch, sprinkle the tops very lightly with additional sea salt, if desired.
• Then, allow the caramels to completely cool before cutting.
• Remove caramels from pan and cut into 1 inch pieces.

GINGERBREAD CARAMELS

Steps:

• Lightly coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed bakingsheet with cooking spray. Line with parchmentpaper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on shortsides; spray paper.
• In a large pot over high heat, bring cream,corn syrup, sugar, butter, and molasses to a boil,stirring until sugar has dissolved. Continue tocook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently,until mixture reaches 248 degrees (firm-ball stage)on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla, salt, and spices. Immediately pour onto prepared sheet, without scraping pot. Let stand, uncovered, 24 hours at room temperature (do not move pan).
• Generously coat a large cutting board with cooking spray. Lifting it by the parchment overhang, invert caramel onto the cutting board; use a sharp knife to loosen parchment, and remove. Cut into 1-by-1 1/4-inch pieces. Wrap each in cellophane or waxed paper.

GINGERBREAD-CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Beat cake mix, ginger, butter and egg with mixer until blended. (Dough will be stiff.) Press 2/3 of the dough onto bottom of prepared pan.
• Bake 10 to 12 min. or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, microwave caramels and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 3 to 3-1/2 min. or until caramels are completely melted and sauce is well blended, stirring after each minute.
• Drizzle caramel sauce over baked layer in pan. Reserve 2 Tbsp. chopped chocolate; sprinkle remaining over caramel sauce. Crumble remaining gingerbread dough over dessert. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely.
• Microwave reserved chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 30 sec. to 1 min. or until completely melted, stirring every 30 sec.; drizzle over dessert. Let stand until chocolate is firm. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting into bars.

OVERNIGHT CARAMEL GINGERBREAD OATS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Saute pear, walnuts, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon until pear softens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Combine protein drink and oats in a small Mason jar. Mix in cooled pear and walnuts. Seal and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Add pumpkin spice, ginger, and remaining cinnamon to the oats the following morning. Stir to combine.

GINGERBREAD CARAMEL CRUNCH

Steps:

• Place popcorn in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; set aside. Butter the sides of a small heavy saucepan; add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, molasses, ginger, cinnamon and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes., Remove from the heat; stir in baking soda (mixture will foam). Stir in vanilla. Quickly pour over popcorn and mix well., Transfer to 2 greased 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Bake at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from pans and place on waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container.

SALTED CARAMEL GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• For the gingerbread: Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, salt and cloves into a large bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the molasses, vanilla and egg and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sifted flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined into a smooth dough, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a flat square, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until just firm, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, make templates for the gingerbread house. Gather 3 sheets of stiff paper or 2 manila folders (split at the seam), scissors, a ruler and a pencil. For the side panels, draw and cut out a rectangle that measures 4 by 7 inches. For the front and back panels of a house with a peaked roof, draw and cut out a template that is 6 inches wide at the base, 4 inches to the roofline and 4 1/2 inches slanted to a peak. The template for the roof panels should measure 4 1/2 by 8 inches.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Unwrap the dough and cut into 3 equal pieces (a pizza wheel is handy for this). Working with 1 piece of dough at a time and keeping the other pieces refrigerated, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using the template, cut out the side panels and remove the scraps around the cutouts. Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough, cutting out the front and back panels and 2 roof panels. If the dough gets too soft while rolling, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before proceeding. (Discard the dough scraps or reroll to make cookies.) Chill the dough pieces on the prepared baking sheets for 15 minutes.
• Bake the dough pieces until crisp almost all the way through (the very center will still be a little soft), 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pans 10 minutes on a rack, then remove the house pieces to the rack to cool completely.
• For the royal icing: Combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add the vanilla and 5 tablespoons water and beat on medium-high speed with an electric mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until the icing forms thick and glossy peaks, about 2 minutes, adding up to 1 tablespoon more water if needed. Divide the icing between the 2 prepared piping bags (one fitted with a small plain tip and the other fitted with a large plain tip).
• Decorate the side panels: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe a pea-size dot of icing onto the back of 1 of the peppermint hard candies and attach it to the top center of 1 of the side panels. Pipe icing onto the backs of 4 of the fig bar pieces and attach them to the panels as evenly spaced windows shutters. Pipe icing to draw 2 windows between the shutters. Line the frames with pretzel sticks, breaking them to fit. Pipe a pea-size dot of icing onto the backs of 9 of the butterscotch candies and press them along the bottom of the panel. Repeat this process on the remaining side panel. Let the panels rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the front panel: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe a double line of icing across the front panel where the roof starts to incline; press on about 11 French toast cereal pieces. Pipe a small dot of icing onto the back of 1 of the red sprinkle-coated gummy candies and attach it to the front panel just above the line of cereal. To make a flower, pipe a small dot of icing on the cut sides of 8 of the toasted-marshmallow jelly bean pieces and attach them in a ring around the red gummy. Pipe icing to draw a door; attach the caramel jelly bean with a dot of icing to make a doorknob. Pipe icing onto the backs of the gummy gingerbread people and place 1 on either side of the door. Pipe icing to draw 2 windows; line the frames with pretzel sticks, breaking them to fit. Let the panel rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the back panel: Using the piping bag fitted with a small tip, pipe a double line of icing across the back panel where the roof starts to incline; press on the remaining French toast cereal as needed. Pipe a small dot of icing onto the back of the remaining red sprinkle-coated gummy candy and attach it just above the line of cereal. To make a flower, pipe a small dot of icing on the cut sides of the remaining 8 toasted-marshmallow jelly bean pieces and attach them in a ring around the red gummy. Create a decorative trim by piping a pea-size dot of icing onto the backs of the caramel-coated pretzels and pressing them along the bottom of the panel. Pipe icing to form 2 windows; line the frames with pretzel sticks, breaking them to fit. Let the panel rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Decorate the roof panels: Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe short lines of icing onto the backs of a few pieces of the frosted shredded wheat cereal and attach them to 1 of the roof panels in a row. Repeat until both roof panels are completely covered. Let the panels rest until set, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• For the caramel: Spread the sugar in a medium skillet (see Cook's Note). Sprinkle with the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water. Set the skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts, about 2 to 3 minutes. Once the sugar has melted, stop stirring and cook, swirling the contents occasionally, until the sugar syrup is a deep amber color, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Assemble the walls: Carefully place the skillet of hot caramel by your work surface (you will use it like glue to attach the panels to the base and to one another). Dip the bottom of the front panel in the caramel and place it on the foil-wrapped base. Use a silicone brush to brush a line of caramel along the inside of the panel at the base to reinforce it. Prop up the panel with a can. Brush more caramel up 1 edge of the front panel so you can attach the side of the house. Dip 1 side of a side panel in the caramel and place it perpendicular to the front panel, forming a corner. Brush the inside of the panel along the base with more caramel to reinforce it. Prop up the side piece with a can. Repeat with the second side panel and the back panel. Sprinkle the seams of the house with sea salt.
• Attach the roof: Once the walls are set enough to hold the roof panels and while the caramel in the skillet is still warm, remove the cans. Then brush the warm caramel onto the back of a roof panel along the edges (where the roof will attach to the walls); press the panel onto the house and hold it in place until the caramel sets, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the other roof panel. Use the piping bag fitted with a large tip to pipe icing along the seams of the roof to reinforce it.
• Landscape the yard: Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe a rectangular walkway in front of the house; line the edges with pecan halves and pave the middle with crushed sesame candy. Pipe icing snowdrifts around the walkway and the base of the house; sprinkle with popcorn, pressing it gently into the icing so it sticks.
• Using the piping bag fitted with a large tip, pipe more icing along the top seam of the roof; line with a row of the fluted gummy caramels. Let the house rest until dry.

GINGERBREAD CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Divide popped popcorn equally between 1 lightly buttered 13x9 baking pan.
• Combine salt, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, ginger and cinnamon in a large heavy saucepan.
• Heat over medium heat till mixture comes to a full boil.
• Boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, remove from heat.
• Add baking soda, it will foam up -- stir well.
• Pour over popcorn in prepared pans and toss to combine well.
• Bake at 250* for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.till popcorn is crisp --.
• Cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

GINGERBREAD-CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine molasses, 1/2 cup water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high, gently stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil; cook until foaming reduces and bubbles begin to slow, 4 to 5 minutes (about 250 degrees on a thermometer). Remove from heat and carefully whisk in cream, butter, salt, and spices (mixture will splatter), stirring until butter is melted and combined. Let cool completely. Transfer to 6 seven-ounce jars. Sauce can be refrigerated in jars up to 2 weeks; gently reheat before serving.

CARAMEL GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners., Whisk together first nine ingredients. In another bowl, whisk together egg, milk, oil, molasses and extracts. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened., Fill prepared cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 15-18 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; cool completely., For frosting, beat confectioners' sugar, butter, extract and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Spread over cupcakes. Drizzle with caramel syrup before serving.