Chewy Caramel Pecan Diamonds Food

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.

SOFT CHEWY CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with foil; grease the foil with 1 tablespoon butter. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining butter. Add the brown sugar, milk and corn syrup. Cook and stir until candy thermometer reads 250° (hard-ball stage). , Pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool completely before cutting.

CARAMEL PECAN CANDY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt 1/3 cup butter over medium heat; stir in the cookie crumbs. Press into an ungreased 9-in. square baking dish. Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan , melt caramels and remaining butter over low heat. Stir in the pecans. Pour over crust. Cool. , For topping, in a small saucepan, combine the chocolate chips, butter, cream and corn syrup. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour over caramel layer. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens. , Let candy stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before cutting into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator.

CHEWY CARAMEL

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Cook for 2 minutes at that temperature. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
• Meanwhile, butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. When the caramel is ready, pour into the buttered pan. Allow to cool completely at room temperature. Remove from the pan and cut into squares using scissors. Wrap individual pieces in waxed paper or cellophane.

PECAN CHEWIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan, or for thinner bars, use a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Stir the eggs and vanilla into the brown sugar and butter. Mix in the chopped pecans, and then the flour. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

CHEWY CARAMEL PECAN BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and butter and flour a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan, knocking out excess.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 tablespoon vanilla and eggs. Sift in flour with salt and baking powder and beat until just blended.
• Spoon batter into pan, spreading it evenly, and bake in middle of oven until it pulls away slightly from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with crumbs adhering, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool base completely in pan on a rack.
• Bring granulated sugar, corn syrup, a pinch of salt, and water to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Continue to boil mixture, without stirring, until it turns a golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully add cream and remaining 1/2 tablespoon vanilla (mixture will bubble up and steam). Return pan to moderate heat and cook, stirring until smooth. Stir in pecans and immediately pour mixture over base, tilting baking pan and spreading evenly.
• Cool mixture completely in pan on rack and cut into bars.

CARAMEL PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• For the dough, combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well to mix. Cut the butter into 8 to 10 pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Rub the butter in finely; be careful that the mixture remains cool and powdery. Beat the eggs lightly and stir them into the dough with a fork. Continue stirring until the dough masses together. Remove the dough to a floured surface and knead lightly, until the dough is smooth. Form the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick and wrap in plastic. Chill the dough until it is firm, about 1 hour.
• Butter a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan. Roll the dough to a rectangle about 12 x 17 inches. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin, then unroll it into the pan. Press the dough well into the bottom and sides of the pan and fold the excess dough into the pan. Make a high fluted edge around the edge of the pan. Chill the dough-lined pan while preparing the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the corn syrup and sugar in a saucepan and mix well. Place on medium heat and stir occasionally, until the syrup comes to a boil. At the boil, add the butter and cream and return to a boil. Simmer the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and rum.
• Place the chopped pecans in a heatproof mixing bowl. Pour the cooked syrup over the pecans and stir well to mix. Pour the filling on the dough in the pan and spread it evenly with a metal spatula.
• Bake the pastry on the lowest rack of the oven for about 30 minutes. Turn the pan occasionally to make sure that the dough and the filling bake evenly. Remove the pan from the oven and cool it on a rack to room temperature. Wrap the pan in plastic wrap and chill overnight.
• To unmold the pastry, run a small, sharp knife between the crust and the sides of the pan. Place the pan on low heat for a few seconds to loosen the pastry. Place a cookie sheet on the top and invert. Remove the pan in which the pastry baked and replace it with a cutting board. Invert, remove the cookie sheet and trim away the edges of the pastry.
• Cut the pastry into 1 1/2- inch diamonds.

CHEWY CARAMEL PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides; butter foil.
• In a food processor, blend the flour confectioner's sugar, cornstarch and salt for a couple of seconds.
• Add in 3/4 cup COld butter (cut into chunks); process until mixture begins to clump together.
• Press the dough evenly onto the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan.
• Bake until light and golden, about 25 minutes (don't overbake).
• Remove from oven; let stand while preparing the topping.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• FOR TOPPING: stir the brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, until the sugar dissolves, and the mixture boils; boil for 1 minute.
• Add in the pecans and the whipping cream; boil until the mixture thickens slightly (about 3 minutes).
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour over the warm baked crust.
• Bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is darker, and bubbles thickly.
• Transfer pan to a wire rack; cool completely in the pan (topping will harden).
• In a double boiler, melt the caramels with 2-3 tsp whipping cream.
• Drizzle over the top of the cooked nut topping; cool.
• Lift foil out of the pan onto a cutting board.
• Using a heavy, sharp knife, cut the crust with nut topping into 1-1/2 x 1-inch diamonds.
• These keep for up to 1 week.

PECAN SHORTBREAD DIAMONDS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Press into an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Reduce temperature to 350°., To make filling, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, salt and melted chocolate; fold in pecans. , Pour filling over crust. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into diamond-shaped bars.

CHEWY PECAN DIAMONDS

Steps:

• for crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, leaving 1-inch overhang on all sides.
• Butter foil.
• Blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in processor.
• Add butter and process until mixture begins to clump together.
• Press dough evenly onto bottom of foil-lined pan.
• Bake crust until set and light golden, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Let stand while preparing topping.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• for topping: Stir brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils; boil 1 minute.
• Add pecans and cream; boil until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour hot topping over warm crust.
• Bake nut-topped crust until caramel is darker and bubbles thickly, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer pan to rack.
• Cool completely in pan (topping will harden).
• Lift foil out of pan onto cutting board.
• Using heavy sharp knife, cut crust with nut topping into 1 1/2x1-inch diamonds.
• (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.) Makes about 32.

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.

SALTED CHEWY CARAMELS

Steps:

• Grease a 9 x 7 or similar size pan. Line with parchment, then grease again, to easily remove the cooled caramel. Leave an overhang of paper on the side to act as handles.
• Add all of the ingredients except the vanilla and sea salt to a medium heavy saucepan.
• Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until a candy thermometer reaches 234 -240°F. This will take about 10 - 15 minutes. Large bubbles will form at the edges of the pot. Cook, still stirring constantly for 2 minutes at 234 -240°F.
• Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla.
• Pour into the prepared pan and allow to cool and firm up. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cut into bite size pieces and wrap in wax paper.

PECAN DIAMONDS WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Line the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides, then butter the foil.
• For the crust: in a food processor blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt; process for a couple of seconds.
• Add in cold butter and process until the mixture begins to come together.
• Lightly press the mixture onto the bottom of prepared baking dish that has been lined with a foil overhang.
• Bake the crust for about 25 minutes, or until lightly golden (if you are not using the foil, then bake a little less time, watch closely not to overbake the crust!).
• Remove and let sit at room temperature while preparing the topping.
• Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
• To make the topping: In a heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir the brown sugar, corn syrup and butter until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils (about 1 minute).
• Add in chopped pecans and whipping cream; boil until the mixture thickens (about 3 minutes).
• Add in vanilla.
• Pour the hot topping over the warm crust.
• Return to oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the caramel is darker and is bubbling thickly.
• Cool COMPLETELY in the pan (the topping will harden upon sitting).
• Using the foil overhang, lift out of the pan onto a cutting board.
• Using a sharp knife cut into 1 x 1-inch diamonds or to desired size.