Lemon Caramel Recipes

LEMON-SCENTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour the sugar into the center of a deep saucepan. Carefully pour the water around the walls of the pan, trying not to splash any sugar onto the walls. Do not stir; gently draw your finger twice through the center of the sugar, making a cross, to moisten it. Over high heat, bring to a full boil and cook without stirring until medium caramel in color, swirling the pan occasionally to even out the color, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in another saucepan bring the cream and lemon peel to a boil and set aside to infuse the flavor.
• When the caramel is the desired color immediately turn off the heat and use a wooden spoon to slowly and carefully stir in the cream (it will bubble up and may splatter). Pass through a fine strainer and serve warm.

LEMON-CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and syrup is clear. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, occasionally washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming. Let syrup boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until dark amber.
• Remove from heat; whisk in lemon juice, liqueur (if desired), butter, and 2 tablespoons water. (Caramel will steam and spatter.) Serve warm.

LEMON CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a small heavy saucepan combine 3/4 cup of the sugar, the cream of tartar, and 1/4 cup water, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and boil the syrup, covered, for 1 minute. Remove the lid and boil the syrup, undisturbed, until it begins to turn golden. Continue to boil the syrup, swirling it and tilting the pan occasionally, until it is a deep golden caramel. Pour the caramel into a loaf pan, 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 3 inches, tilt the pan to coat the bottom and sides with the caramel, and let the caramel cool.
• In a large saucepan scald the milk with the cream over moderate heat. In a large heatproof bowl whisk together the whole eggs, the egg yolks, and the remaining 3/4 cup sugar until the mixture is light and frothy. Add the scalded milk mixture in a slow stream, stirring constantly, and stir in the lemon juice, the zest, and the vanilla. Set the loaf pan in a larger and deeper baking pan and strain the custard mixture into the loaf pan. Cover the loaf pan with heavy-duty foil and add enough hot water to the larger pan to reach two thirds of the way up the sides of the loaf pan.
• Bake the custard in the middle of a preheated 325°F. oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes, remove the loaf pan from the baking pan carefully, and remove the foil. (The custard will not appear set in the middle but it will continue to cook as it cools.) Let the custard cool and chill it, overnight. Run a thin knife around the edge of the custard, invert a serving platter over the custard, and invert the custard onto it.

LEMON AND ROSEMARY CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line 9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat butter, whipping cream and salt to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in rosemary and lemon peel; set aside.
• In 3-quart saucepan, mix sugar, corn syrup and water. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. DO NOT STIR. Boil until sugar turns a light golden amber color and candy thermometer reads 310°F.
• Add cream mixture. Beat with whisk until thermometer reads 248°F. Pour into pan; cool 10 minutes. If desired, garnish with additional rosemary and lemon peel.
• Cool completely; cut into squares.

LEMON CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet, spread the sugar in an even layer. Pour 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the water over it, along with a few drops of the lemon juice. Heat the sugar, without stirring, over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble and the sugar starts to dissolve. Tilt the pan gently if the sugar is cooking unevenly, or use a heatproof utensil to ever so gently stir the syrup.
• Once the sugar begins to smoke and becomes a deep amber color, remove it from the heat and add the remaining 1/2 cup (125 ml) water. Let the steam subside, then whisk the caramel until smooth (wear an oven mitt, as the hot caramel can splatter).
• Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Strain it if there are any bits of undissolved sugar. Once the caramel reaches room temperature, taste it and add the additional lemon juice if you wish. Serve at room temperature or warm.
• To make Whiskey (or Rum) Caramel Sauce, replace the lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of whiskey (or rum). Once the mixture reaches room temperature, taste and add more liquor if desired.
• This sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Rewarm it gently in a microwave or by stirring in a saucepan over very low heat.

LEMON CRèME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Have ready a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate. In a dry 5-quart heavy kettle cook 1 cup 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. Immediately pour caramel into pie plate, tilting pie plate to coat bottom and side evenly, and put pie plate in a baking pan.
• With a vegetable peeler remove zest from 1 lemon and in a food processor pulse with remaining 1/3 cup sugar until finely chopped. Squeeze enough juice from lemons to measure 1/4 cup. In a saucepan bring cream and lemon sugar just to a boil, stirring. In a bowl whisk together eggs, yolks, vanilla, and a pinch salt until combined well and add cream mixture and lemon juice in a stream, whisking. Pour custard through a sieve into pie plate.
• Add enough hot water to baking pan to reach halfway up side of pie plate and bake crème caramel in middle of oven about 40 minutes, or until outer 3 inches are set but center still trembles slightly. (Custard will continue to set as it cools.) Remove pie plate from pan and cool crème caramel completely on a rack. Chill crème caramel, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Run a thin knife around edge of crème caramel and gently rotate pie plate back and forth to make sure crème caramel is loosened. Invert a flat serving plate with a slight lip over pie plate and invert crème caramel onto serving plate.