Sesame Ginger Caramel Candies Recipes

SESAME CARAMELS

Steps:

• Lightly coat bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch square pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; lightly spray parchment.
• In a small saucepan, combine cream, butter, and salt; heat gently over low. In a heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Clip on a candy thermometer. Over high heat, cook until sugar is dissolved, swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming, 8 to 12 minutes.
• Continue swirling pan until sugar is a dark golden color, about 10 minutes. Carefully add warm cream mixture to pan, taking caution as it will bubble up. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until caramel reaches 248 degrees on candy thermometer, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer to prepared pan, sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds, and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
• Transfer caramel to a large cutting board. Cut into 1-inch pieces; wrap each piece in waxed paper to seal.

SESAME GINGER 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. Sprinkle 1/3 cup sesame seeds on parchment-lined baking sheet.
• 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, vanilla, and ginger. Pour caramel onto baking sheet, sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup sesame seeds, 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.

SESAME CANNOLI WITH GINGER

Steps:

• For the shells: Sift the flour, granulated sugar and salt into a medium bowl. Work the butter pieces in with your fingers. Then add the egg yolk. Work in the white wine until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic and let rest for a few minutes while you make the filling.
• For the filling: Sift the powdered sugar, allspice and ginger into a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk the ricotta until smooth and then add it to the dry ingredients; mix to blend. Beat the cream until fairly stiff and gently fold it into the ricotta mixture with a rubber spatula. Stir in the chocolate chips. Lightly zest the lemon and stir it into the ricotta. Refrigerate.
• To roll and fry the shells: Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a heavy-bottomed medium pot. Meanwhile, spread an even layer of flour on a flat surface and flour a rolling pin. Roll the dough until very thin (about 1/8-inch thick). Cut out 3- to 4-inch rounds, using a glass or a small bowl; you should have about 12 rounds. Wrap each one around a cannoli mold, pressing to enclose. Flare the edges out slightly from the mold. Use a pair of tongs to submerge the shell in the hot oil. Fry until crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oil and immediately slide the shell off the mold. Set aside to cool. Repeat for all the rounds.
• To fill the cannoli: Just before serving, use a pastry bag to pipe the ricotta filling into the cannoli shells. Fill the shells from both sides so that the cream fills the length of the shell. Sprinkle the sesame seeds generously onto the ricotta on each end. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

SESAME-GINGER POPCORN

Steps:

• Mix first four ingredients; toss with popcorn. If desired, stir in cracker mix and peanuts. Store in airtight containers.

CRUNCHY SESAME SEED CANDY

Steps:

• Coat a 9-inch-square baking pan or dish with oil or non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
• Put the sesame seeds into an ungreased 10-inch skillet (preferably one with a non-stick surface) and stir them over medium-high heat for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and aromatic.
• Temporarily transfer the seeds (they will be hot) to a bowl, making sure that none are left in the skillet; set aside.
• Put the honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger into the skillet and mix them well.
• Slowly bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• As soon as the entire mixture comes to a full rolling boil, cook it vigorously for exactly 2 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and immediately stir in the sesame seeds until well mixed.
• Quickly turn out the hot mixture into the prepared pan and use a metal spatula that has been dipped into cold water to press the candy into a very smooth and even layer.
• Cool the candy in the pan for l5 minutes, or until it is solid but still lukewarm.
• Run the spatula around the edge of the candy to loosen it.
• Then turn out the whole slab of candy onto a wooden board or other cutting surface.
• Use a sharp knife to cut the large square of warm candy into very small squares, diamonds, or rectangles.
• Cool the candies completely; then store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
• If a professional look is desired, roll each cooked candy in a small piece of stiff cellophane and twist the ends.

SESAME-GINGER VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Place sesame oil, rice vinegar, green onion, ginger, maple syrup, salt, and pepper in a screw-top jar. Cover and shake well to combine.

GINGER-SESAME CARAMEL APPLES

Steps:

• Put the yogurt chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted. Combine the sesame seeds and ground ginger in a shallow dish. Dip each caramel apple in the melted yogurt mixture then roll in the sesame seeds. Let stand on parchment paper until set. If you like, place each caramel apple in a jumbo muffin liner and package in a clear gusseted treat bag. Tie with festive ribbon.

CARAMELIZED GINGER AND GINGERED CARAMEL

Steps:

• Caramelized Ginger: Cut a ginger root to fit into a plastic bowl with a lid.
• Cover the ginger root pieces in sherry.
• Let this sit until the ginger is fully soaked through with sherry, which can take a month or more.
• The ginger will be dark tan in color and firm and somewhat stringy in texture.
• It will be almost translucent.
• Remove the ginger root from the sherry and set the sherry aside for later.
• Cut the rind off of the ginger root and cut the inner portion into pieces about the size and thickness of 1/2 a dime.
• Put the small ginger pieces into a bowl and cover completely with sugar.
• I had about 1/4 cup of ginger and I put in about 3/4 cup of fine grained white sugar.
• Add back about 2 tablespoons of the sherry.
• The resulting mixture, with the ginger pieces in it, is a thickish but runny syrup.
• Put a mound of sugar (at least a cup) on a plate or in a small bowl and set it aside where you can reach it when you are standing at the stove.
• Cook the ginger/sugar/sherry mixture on the top of the stove until it boils but not until it darkens, (i. e., remove it from the heat before the sugar starts to burn).
• Stir a couple of times while the mixture is heating.
• Use a slotted spoon and remove the ginger pieces from the boiled liquid and plop them onto the sugar mound, keeping them separate from each other as much as possible.
• Spoon more granulated sugar over the top and let this sit for about 1 minute.
• Then stir the whole thing to coat the ginger with sugar.
• Let it sit for 5 minutes, then remove the ginger pieces and set them on a piece of baking paper to air dry.
• Gingered caramel: The boiled sherry/sugar stuff that's still in the pan can be boiled up again for about 30 seconds.
• Just as it starts to brown, remove it from the heat and add two or three tablespoons of butter.
• Let it cool for a few minutes and then pour the now very thick caramel onto more baking paper.
• This is fantastic caramel!
• Notes: This recipe starts with about 2 four inch pieces of ginger root and the yield is about 1/4 cup of caramelized ginger and about 1/3 cup of gingered caramel.
• I happened to have cooking sherry on hand so that is what I used.
• I had purchased two or three small (maybe 4 inches long) pieces of ginger root and I had not used them for anything.
• I had heard that you can soak your ginger in sherry to preserve it so I had cut the roots into 2 inch pieces, give or take, and covered them in sherry in a plastic bowl with a lid.
• I forgot about the ginger and it sat on my kitchen counter for 4 or 5 months.
• Possibly it would have been ready to caramelize a lot sooner than that but it was in perfect condition for this recipe after months of sitting.