Caramel Chocolate Treasures Food

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL TREASURES

Steps:

• Cookies: Cream butter, sugar, egg yolk, milk and vanilla.
• Sift in flour, cocoa and salt and beat on low speed until dough forms.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.
• Roll dough into 1 T balls, coat with egg white, and roll in nuts.
• Place 1 1/2" apart on greased cookie sheets.
• Flatten centers of cookies with thumb, leaving a depression.
• Bake at 350°, 10-12 minutes or until slightly puffed but centers are still soft.
• Leave cookies on cookie sheet and immediately depress centers of cookies again (I use a wooden spoon handle end).
• Move to wire racks and cool.
• Filling: Microwave caramels and cream until melted and smooth.
• Use a spoon and fill the centers of partially cooled cookies and then cool completely.
• Chocolate Drizzle: Microwave chocolate until melted and place in resealable plastic bag.
• Make a small cut in one corner and drizzle a narrow bead of chocolate over the cookies.
• Chocolate will set in 30 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 9x5-in. loaf pan with foil and grease the foil with butter; set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, corn syrup and chocolate to a boil over medium heat; stir until smooth. Add 1/2 cup cream; cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer reads 234° (soft-ball stage). Add another 1/2 cup cream; return mixture to 234° (soft-ball stage). Add the remaining cream; cook to 245° (firm-ball stage)., Immediately pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm, about 5 hours or overnight. Using foil, lift candy out of pan. Discard foil; cut candy into 1-in. squares using a buttered knife. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

HOMEMADE CARAMELS WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND SEA SALT

Steps:

• Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Combine white sugar, 1/2 cup cream, light corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 242 degrees (117 degrees C), or until a small amount of the caramel mixture forms a firm yet pliable ball when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
• Pour caramel mixture into baking pan. Allow to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove baking pan from the fridge and allow caramel mixture to warm up slightly, about 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Combine dark and semisweet chocolate chips with shortening in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Cut caramel into 1-inch squares. Dip caramel squares in melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Place on lined baking sheet; sprinkle with sea salt. Chill until hardened, about 1 hour.

CARAMEL PECAN TREASURES

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl cream butter and brown sugar.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Combine the flour and baking powder,gradually add to the creamed mixture.
• Roll into 1 inch balls.
• Place 2 inches apart onto baking sheet,flatten slightly.
• Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove to wire racks to cool.
• Place one caramel on each cookie.
• Melt the chocolate chips and shortening.
• Drizzle over the cooled cookies.
• Sprinkle with the pecans.
• Let stand until firm.

CREAMY CARAMEL TREASURE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease or paper line 12 muffin cups.
• Place pecans in medium bowl, press brownies into pecans, coating well, place into prepared cups.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes or until edges are set, remove pan to wire rack, gently press 1 treasure into each brownie, cool completely, remove from pan.
• Microwave chocolate chips in small, heavy duty plastic bag on high power for 30 to 45 seconds;knead.
• Microwave at additional 10 to 20 second intervals, kneading until smooth, cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze to drizzle over brownies.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE TREASURES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In heavy saucepan over very low heat melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
• Stir until smooth and cool slightly.
• Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Blend in eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate.
• Add dry ingredients except powdered sugar.
• Stir in remaining chocolate pieces.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
• Roll in powdered sugar, coating heavily.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes.
• Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet.
• Remove to cooling rack and let cool completely.
• Store in airtight container.