Caramel Gold Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy 3 quart sauce pan.
• Add sugar and salt.
• Stir thoroughly.
• Now stir in corn syrup.
• Mix well.
• Add sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly.
• Cook and stir over medium heat and heat to firm ball stage (245 degrees), about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add the vanilla.
• Pour into a 9x9x2 buttered pan; cool, cut into squares (or make turtles by arranging two pecan halves on a buttered sheet of waxed paper and spooning a little caramel on top of the pecans, let cool, then spooning a little melted milk chocolate on top).
• Enjoy when cooled.

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough is just combined. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and press it into a rectangle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about an 8-inch square that is 1/4-inch-thick. Cut the dough into quarters, then cut each quarter into 8 sticks using a straight edge or sharp knife. (Each cookie will be about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.) Use a skewer to make 3 holes on the top of each cookie about 1 inch apart. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through, until golden, 25 to 28 minutes. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, combine the chocolate and canola oil in a small microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each. With a butter knife or offset spatula, spread the chocolate on the bottom of each cookie and set them chocolate-side up on a rack. Refrigerate until hardened, about 20 minutes. Turn the cookies over.
• Combine the caramels and heavy cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, about 2 minutes. Let cool until the mixture registers 100 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, then transfer to a piping bag. Cut the tip of the bag and pipe a strip of caramel on the uncoated top of each cookie. (If the caramel strips look messy, use your hand to mold and straighten the lines -- at this point, the caramel will be very malleable.) Return the cookies to the rack caramel-side up and refrigerate until hardened, about 20 minutes.
• Spoon the chocolate over each cookie or dip the caramel side so that it is completely covered with chocolate. After the cookies are completely coated, drizzle the chocolate with a spoon back and forth crosswise over each. Return to the wire rack until cooled and the chocolate hardens, about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, cook the sugar, corn syrup and water to a dark amber caramel. Add the passion fruit puree, butter, vanilla seeds and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil and cook to 235 degrees F while stirring the entire time. Stir in the salt. Spray parchment paper with nonstick and put on a sheet pan. Set the metal caramel frames to 8 by 12 inches on top. Pour the caramel inside the frame and place in the freezer until frozen.
• Once the passion fruit caramel is frozen, cut out about 36 disks with 1 1/2-inch round cutters. Store the caramel in the freezer. Melt the dark chocolate. Dip the frozen passion fruit caramel disks into the chocolate and let set at room temperature until the chocolate hardens.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar and the water to soft ball stage, 240 degrees F. Add the almonds and keep stirring until caramelized to a dark amber color. Add the salt and butter. Spread onto greased sheet pans and let cool 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the temperature of the room. After they have cooled, put in the refrigerator about 1 hour.
• Transfer the almonds into a stainless steel bowl and coat the almonds with the melted chocolate while stirring constantly. When set, sift the cocoa powder or powder sugar over the almonds.
• In a small saucepan, bring the cream, cinnamon, and glucose to a boil. Place the butter, salt, and both chocolates in a small bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 10 seconds. Whisk to combine. Let stand at room temperature until the edges of the ganache start to crystallize.
• Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate to 186.8 degrees F. Pour into the chocolate bar molds to coat, then pour back out. Tap all of the excess chocolate out, then invert onto parchment paper until the chocolate hardens completely. Pipe the ganache half way into the chocolate shell.
• In a small saucepan, caramelize the corn syrup and sugar to a dark amber. Place the cream in a small microwave-proof container and heat in the microwave until hot to the touch. Carefully add the caramel to the hot cream. Bring the mixture back to a boil. Place the chocolate and honey in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 10 seconds and whisk to combine. Fold in the macadamia nuts. Let stand at room temperature until the edges of the ganache start to crystallize. Spoon the caramel on top of the cinnamon chocolate ganache and top with the rest of the tempered chocolate. Let it set up in the refrigerator, about 1 hour. Tap the bars out of the mold.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease and line a 20-22cm square or rectangular baking tin with a lip of at least 3cm.
• To make the shortbread, mix 250g plain flour and 75g caster sugar in a bowl. Rub in 175g softened butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Knead the mixture together until it forms a dough, then press into the base of the prepared tin.
• Prick the shortbread lightly with a fork and bake for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch and very lightly browned. Leave to cool in the tin.
• To make the caramel, place 100g butter or margarine, 100g light muscovado sugar and the can of condensed milk in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Continually stir with a spatula to make sure no sugar sticks to the bottom of the pan. (This can leave brown specks in the caramel but won't affect the flavour.)
• Turn up the heat to medium high, stirring all the time, and bring to the boil, then lower the heat back to low and stirring continuously, for about 5-10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Pour over the shortbread and leave to cool.
• For the topping, melt 200g plain or milk chocolate slowly in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Pour over the cold caramel and leave to set. Cut into squares or bars with a hot knife.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter two 20cm springform tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and both sugars in a bowl with an electric whisk for a few mins until lighter in colour and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour and beating in between each egg. Add the remaining flour and milk. Divide between the cake tins and bake for 25-30 mins until they're golden, spring back when pressed, and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle. Cool in the tins for a few mins, then tip out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, for the icing, put the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk for a few mins until light and airy. Whisk in the caramel briefly, adding 1 tbsp of boiling water to loosen, if needed. Set aside until the sponges are completely cool before assembling, or the icing will melt.
• Use half the icing to sandwich the cakes together, then spread the remainder over the top, smoothing it out with a knife or the back of a spoon. Leave in a cool place until ready to serve. Drizzle with the 3 tbsp extra sauce (warm briefly in the microwave if it's a little stiff), allowing some to drip down the sides if you like, and scatter over the toffee, chocolate or caramel pieces to serve. Edible glitter, birthday candles or sparklers, optional.