Caramel Clusters Food

PECAN CARMEL CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Place caramels, butter, and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in pecans.
• Drop caramel pecan mixture by spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Place in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Dip each caramel cluster into chocolate using a fondue fork until coated; place on parchment paper to dry. Chill until firm, if necessary.

CHOCOLATE PECAN CARAMEL CLUSTERS

Steps:

• For the caramel: Mix 2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Cook, swirling the pan (do not stir), until the mixture is light amber and a candy thermometer registers 320 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; slowly whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat and whisk until smooth.
• Stir 1 1/3 cups chopped nuts into the warm caramel; cool until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape. Drop spoonfuls onto an oiled parchment-lined baking sheet; let set. Top with melted chocolate and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

CARAMEL APPLE POPCORN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels; cover and cook, shaking the pan, until the popping subsides. Remove from the heat and let any remaining kernels pop for 30 more seconds. Divide the popcorn between the prepared baking sheets, discarding any unpopped kernels. Scatter the apple chips and almonds on top.
• Make the caramel: Bring the apple juice, brown sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook without stirring until the mixture is deep amber and a candy thermometer registers 280 degrees F, about 30 minutes (the caramel will bubble vigorously toward the end of the cooking time).
• Stir the butter into the caramel until melted. Add 2 teaspoons salt and the apple pie spice. Add the applejack and cayenne, if using, and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Pour the hot caramel over the popcorn mixture and carefully toss with two rubber spatulas. Let cool slightly, then separate the mixture into clusters while still warm. Let cool completely.

PECAN CARAMEL CLUSTERS

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the caramels, water and butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 3 to 3-1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in pecans. , Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Freeze for 15-20 minutes or until set., In a microwave-safe bowl, combine candy coatings. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds; stir until smooth. Dip caramel clusters in coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm.

CARAMEL PEANUT CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Pour Caramel Bits into a microwave-safe bowl, with 2 teaspoons of water and microwave in 30 minute increments, stirring in between each heating. It took 1 ½ minutes to melt the caramels with only a few left unmelted. Stirring the warm, creamy caramel allowed the last chunks to completely melt and be incorporated.
• Pour the jar of peanuts into the caramel and stir to completely coat all peanuts.
• Drop by spoonful onto a buttered or greased sheet of wax paper, or a silicone baking mat. Allow the caramel clusters to cool and set up, about 10 minutes.
• While the clusters cool, prepare the dipping chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl add the butter and chocolate. Breaking the chocolate into small pieces along the perforations to helps it melt more quickly.
• Again, 30 second increments in the microwave, stirring in between each, will help the chocolate melt quickly and prevent burning or scorching. After 1 ½ minutes, you may still have a few soft chunks of chocolate in the mixture, but stirring will allow them to melt and be combined with the melted chocolate dip.
• After the chocolate is melted, dip each cluster into the chocolate and turn it to be sure all sides are covered. Lift the cluster out of the chocolate on the tines of a fork. Gently tap the fork handle against the rim of the bowl, allowing excess chocolate to drip through the tines of the fork, back into the bowl.
• Place the clusters back onto the prepared surface and leave them to cool and harden 1 to 2 hours.

CARAMEL PECAN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• On a greased baking sheet, arrange pecans in six clusters of five pecans each. Place a caramel on each cluster. Bake at 300° for 4-5 minutes or until caramels are melted., Top each with a chocolate square. Bake 1 minute longer or until chocolate is melted. Spread the chocolate over caramel until smooth. Remove from pan to cool on a wire rack.

CARAMEL PECAN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• on a greased baking sheet, arrange pecans in 6 clusters of 5 pecans, each.
• place a caramel on each cluster.
• bake at 300 degrees for 4-5 minutes or until caramels are melted.
• top with a chocolate square.
• bake 1 minute longer or until chocolate is melted.
• spread the chocolate over caramel until smooth.
• remove clusters from pan to cool on a wire rack.

CARAMEL COCONUT CLUSTER BARS

Steps:

• Toast the coconut: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the coconut in an even layer on the baking sheet and toast, tossing and turning every 4 minutes or so, until the coconut just starts to turn golden, about 12 minutes total. Remove the coconut from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Make the Cookie Base: Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, allowing the parchment to overhang on two sides. Lightly spray the parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
• In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and the flour mixture and beat just until combined.
• Turn the dough out into the prepared baking pan and, with lightly floured hands, press the dough into an even layer on the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Prick the top of the dough with the tines of a fork and bake the crust for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until golden. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
• Make the Caramel Layer: In a medium saucepan, combine the corn syrup, both sugars, and 2 tablespoons of water and stir gently so you don't splash any of it up on the sides of the pan. Set the saucepan over low heat and continue to stir gently until the sugar dissolves. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the bulb of the thermometer is immersed in the syrup. Turn the heat up to medium-high and wait without stirring for the mixture to reach 240 to 245 degrees F, about 7 minutes. Keep a watchful eye on the temperature while you proceed with the next step-you do not want the mixture to exceed 250 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cream and sweetened condensed milk. Gently warm the mixture; do not let it boil.
• Once the sugar mixture turns amber, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter and the warm cream mixture until completely combined (be careful as it will bubble up when you add the cream mixture). Place the pan back over medium heat, stop stirring, and bring the mixture back to 245 to 250 degrees F.
• Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and fold in 2 cups of the toasted coconut.
• Pour the caramel directly onto the cookie base and, working quickly, spread it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of toasted coconut over the caramel. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a knife to loosen the chilled bars from the sides of the pan, then lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang. Spray a sharp knife with nonstick cooking spray and cut the bars into twenty-four 3-by-1 1/2-inch rectangles and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
• Assemble the bars: Melt both chocolates together in the bowl of a double boiler over medium heat or in the microwave (in a microwave-safe bowl, cook the chocolate at 50% power (medium) for 15-seconds bursts, stirring between each blast, until melted).
• Dip half of each individual bar in the melted chocolate, scrape off the excess chocolate with an offset spatula, and place the bar back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bars.
• Alternatively, dip the bottom of each bar in the remaining melted chocolate, scrape off the excess chocolate with an offset spatula. Return to the baking sheet to set. Once set, squeeze the chocolate into one corner of the zippered plastic bag and twist the other end of the bag a few times to form a makeshift pastry bag. Use a kitchen scissor to snip off the small corner of the bag where the chocolate has collected (you don't want too large a snip or the chocolate will ooze out).
• Working quickly, drizzle the chocolate in a zigzag pattern across all of the bars. Place the pan of bars back into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to let the chocolate set up. Serve immediately. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 4 days. They taste really good directly from the refrigerator as well as at room temperature-entirely up to you.

CARAMEL CORN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Heat oil with 3 kernels in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, covered, over moderate heat until 1 or 2 kernels pop. Remove lid and quickly add remaining kernels, then cook, covered, shaking pan frequently, until kernels stop popping, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and uncover.
• Line bottom of a large shallow baking pan with foil. Lightly oil foil. Melt butter in a 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat. Add brown sugar and corn syrup and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring, then boil, without stirring, until syrup registers 300°F on thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• Using a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, stir salt and baking soda into syrup, then quickly stir in peanuts and popcorn to coat. Immediately spread mixture in baking pan as thinly and evenly as possible. Cool completely, then break into bite-size pieces.