Buttery Pecan Caramels Food

PECAN CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with butter. Set aside. , In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until smooth and blended, about 10 minutes. Stir in milk and remaining cream. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage), about 25 minutes. , Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan; cut into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper.

BUTTERY PECAN CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil, extending foil over edges. Lightly butter foil. Set aside.
• Combine sugar, 1 cup half & half, corn syrup and butter in 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally,15-18 minutes or until mixture comes to a full boil.
• Add remaining half & half. Continue cooking, stirring often, 45-55 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 245°F or small amount of mixture dropped into ice water forms a firm ball.
• Pour into prepared pan. Cover; refrigerate just 1-1 1/2 hours or until firm.
• Cut into 64 pieces. Drop 1/4 teaspoon melted chocolate on top of each caramel; press pecan half into chocolate. Cover; store refrigerated.

BUTTER PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-in. square pan with foil; grease foil with 1 teaspoon butter., In a large heavy saucepan, combine remaining butter, granulated and brown sugars, cream and salt. Bring to a rapid boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage). Remove from heat. Add vanilla to pan (do not stir)., Cool, without stirring, to 110°, about 30 minutes. Beat with a spoon until fudge just begins to thicken. Gradually stir in confectioners' sugar until smooth; add nuts and continue stirring until fudge becomes very thick and just begins to lose its sheen. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Cool., Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Remove foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

CARAMEL PECANS

Steps:

• Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with 2 teaspoons butter and set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, corn syrup, 1 cup cream and the remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the remaining cream. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage)., Remove from the heat; stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Discard foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

CARAMEL BUTTER PECAN BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.Top with pecans. Drizzle caramel topping evenly over pecans., Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly. Remove to a wire rack. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand for 5 minutes. Carefully spread chips over caramel layer. Cool at room temperature for at least 6 hours or until chocolate is set. Cut into bars.

BUTTER PECAN CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Bake pecans in 1/2 stick of butter in oven for 15 minutes Combine in blender the pecans, granola crumbs, flour and brown sugar, Reserve 1/3 cup of the granola mixture to put on the top of the cheesecake. Melt a half a cup of butter and mix it with the Granola mixture then put the rest of the mixture on the bottom and sides of a 10 inch springform pan pressing firmly. Place in the preheated (350) oven and bake for crust for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
• In a double broiler or a metal bowl steamed over hot water, place caramels in the bowl with the evaporated milk and stir constantly until completely melted stir in the butter. Pour caramel mixture over the bottom of the granola crust. Reserve approximately 1/2 cup or more for the batter. (I now make my caramel from scratch it's a lot easier to work with and not as hard as the candy caramels. If you know how to make good caramel from scratch I strongly recommend that instead).
• Do not let the caramel sauce touch the pan or it will stick and break the pan.
• Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy then gradually add the sugar and mix it well at medium speed. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla and butter flavoring. Add caramels to the cream cheese mixture. Stir in the remaining roasted pecans. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition.
• Pour batter over the caramel mixture. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the batter. Bake at 475 for 10 minutes then reduce temperature to 300 and bake for 55 minutes. Allow cheesecake to cool down in the oven with the oven off. Let cool then refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving, preferably over night.
• This cheesecakes success required that you use a standard cheesecake water-bath to avoid cracking. Special instruction on cutting: Take a very sharp knife and run under hot water before each cut. Cut straight down and force the knife through the caramel because it will be very hard. The first cut is always the hardest. It gets easier with each cut.

CARAMEL PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F.
• Pour pecan halves into greased 9x13" pan and place into oven for 5 minutes.
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup and cook until sugar is dissolved (this takes at least 3-4 minutes).
• Remove pecans from oven and pour into saucepan/caramel mixture.
• Stir to coat and pour back into 9x13" pan.
• Place back into oven for 45-60 minutes stirring every 15 minutes or so.
• Remove pan and spread pecans onto parchment paper or silpat (I've used wax paper but it sticks at times-if it does put in fridge and remove when cold).
• Separate pecans as they cool (2 forks work well).
• I often HALF this because I can't keep out of them!

CARAMEL BUTTER-PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350* F. Combine flour and brown sugar in a bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Top with pecans; drizzle warmed caramel topping evenly over pecans.
• Bake at 350* F for 15-20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly. Place on wire rack. Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand 5 minutes, then spread chocolate chips over caramel-pecan layer.
• Cool for at least 6 hours at room temp or until chocolate has set (chilling may cause chocolate to appear dull). Cut into bars.