Golden Caramels Recipes

GOLDEN CARAMELS

Steps:

• Spray an 11 3/4-by-16 1/2-inch baking pan (this is a half-sheet pan) with vegetable-oil spray. Set aside in a spot where it will not be moved. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine cream and sweetened condensed milk; set aside.
• In a heavy 6- to 8-quart saucepan, combine corn syrup, 1 cup water, sugar, and salt. Clip on candy thermometer. Over high heat, cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring with a wooden spoon, 8 to 12 minutes. Brush down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
• Stop stirring, reduce heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until temperature reaches 250 degrees (hard-ball stage), 45 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, cook cream mixture over low heat until it is just warm. Do not boil. When sugar reaches 250 degrees. slowly stir in butter and warmed cream mixture, keeping mixture boiling at all times. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until thermometer reaches 244 degrees (firm-ball stage), 55 to 75 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Immediately pour into prepared pan without scraping pot. Let stand uncovered at room temperature for 24 hours without moving.
• To cut, spray a large cutting board generously with vegetable-oil spray. Unmold caramel from pan onto sprayed surface. Cut into 1-by-1 1/4-inch pieces, or other shapes. Wrap each in cellophane or waxed paper.

GOLDEN CARAMEL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin tins with gold foil cupcake liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, butter, milk, and eggs. Using a hand mixer beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl to be sure the batter is well incorporated. In a small bowl, mix together the 1/2 can of dulce de leche with 1 cup of cake batter and set aside.
• Using an ice-cream scoop, fill the muffin tins halfway to the top with the batter. Spoon a level tablespoon of the dulce de leche mixture into each cupcake liner, and with a butter knife swirl it into the batter. Bake until the tops are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Frosting: In a cold mixing bowl, beat the cold heavy cream with a hand mixer until just before soft peaks form. Add the dulce de leche and beat until well incorporated and soft peaks form. Frost each cupcake with the caramel frosting, and sprinkle with gold dragees. Arrange the cupcakes on a serving tray and serve.

GOLDEN CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper; set aside.
• Split the vanilla bean in half with a small paring knife, and scrape out the seeds; discard the pod. Add the seeds to the cream in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan; scald the cream and keep the saucepan near the stove so that if the cream cools too much when needed, you can reheat it briefly. In a deep, heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan over low heat, blend the corn syrup and the sugar, stirring occasionally until the mixture becomes more fluid and most of the sugar appears dissolved.
• Stop stirring, raise heat to medium-high, and gently boil until a candy thermometer registers 305 degrees F (hard crack stage), about 9 to 12 minutes.
• Add the butter and salt to the sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Pour in the warm vanilla-flavored cream in a slow but steady stream without letting the boiling stop (be careful-mixture foams up and is steamy). Lower heat to medium and continue to boil gently until the thermometer registers about 248 degrees F, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, about 14 to 15 minutes.
• Let the candy stand about 3 minutes to allow bubbling to subside, then pour into the prepared pan without scraping the saucepan; allow to cool at least 5 hours.
• Invert onto a clean cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips; then cut across the strips to form 1/2-inch squares. To apply a patch of gold leaf to each square, use a small artist's brush. With the brush, lift a tiny patch about the size of an oatmeal flake of gold leaf and deposit it on top of the caramels for decoration.
• Cut caramels tend to stick together and not hold their shape unless individually wrapped, so for easiest storage wrap the block of caramels in aluminum foil and cut off portions as needed. Store cut caramels in layers, separated by aluminum foil in an airtight metal or plastic container in a cool place for up to 3 weeks.

GOLDEN WALNUT CARAMEL SQUARES

Steps:

• Line a 9-in. baking pan with foil and grease the foil; set aside., In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into prepared pan; prick crust with a fork. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until set and edges begin to brown., Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Allow chips to soften for a few minutes, then spread over crust; set aside., In a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat, cook sugar until melted. Do not stir. Reduce heat to low; cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown., In a large saucepan, combine the butter, cream and corn syrup. Slowly pour in cooked sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in walnuts. Pour over prepared crust., In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Drizzle over caramel layer. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm., Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut candy into squares.

GOLDEN CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of batter; cover and refrigerate to use in icing. Pour remaining batter into pans.
• Bake and cool as directed on cake mix box.
• To make icing, in heavy 2-quart saucepan, heat butter over low heat, stirring constantly, until brown; remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar, reserved cake batter and evaporated milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until smooth, bubbly and almost thick; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool slightly. Fill layers and frost cake with icing. Store loosely covered.

CLASSIC CARAMEL CANDIES

Steps:

• Lightly brush bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with oil. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides; lightly brush parchment with oil.
• Bring cream, sugar, butter, and corn syrup to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until caramel reaches 248 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 15 minutes.
• Immediately remove caramel from heat, and stir in salt and vanilla. Pour caramel onto baking sheet, and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• Lifting by parchment overhang, transfer caramel to a large cutting board. Cut into 3/4-by-1 1/4-inch pieces; wrap each piece in waxed paper or cellophane.

GOLDEN CARAMEL CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Line 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Process 14 cookies in food processor until finely crushed; mix with butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 min. or until golden brown. Cool 10 min.
• Meanwhile, microwave caramels and water in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring every 30 sec. Coarsely chop remaining cookies.
• Beat cream cheese and marshmallow creme in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add egg; mix well. Stir in chopped cookies; pour over crust. Drop spoonfuls of caramel over batter; swirl gently with knife.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting into bars.

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.