Chocolate Caramel Delights Food

FANTASY CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL DELIGHTS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar.
• Separate egg, reserve white for later use add yolk to creamed mixture.
• Add milk and vanilla to creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
• Combine creamed and dry mixtures with electric mixer; beat until well combined.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until dough is easy to work with.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small sauce pan melt caramels into whipping cream over low heat.
• Stir until mixture is smooth; set aside.
• Slightly beat reserved egg white.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• Roll balls in egg white then in pecans.
• Place balls one inch apart on cookie sheet sprayed with vegetable oil spray.
• Using your thumb, make an indentation in each cookie.
• Bake for 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are firm.
• Spoon caramel into indentation.
• Move cookies to wire racks to cool.
• Melt chocolate chips and shortening; cool mixture slightly then place in a zip top bag.
• When all cookies have been filled, clip tiny corner off of bag and drizzle chocolate over cookies.
• Let cookies stand until chocolate and caramel are set.
• Prep time does not include chilling time.

HOMEMADE SAMOAS (AKA CARAMEL DELIGHTS)

Steps:

• 1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
• 2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
• 3. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it's possible you might not need to add milk at all). The dough should come together into a soft, not-too-sticky ball. Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.
• 4. Roll the dough (working in two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough.
• 5. Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.
• 6. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• 7. DIRECTIONS FOR TOPPING
• 8. Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
• 9. Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula. Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 tsp per cookie. Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.
• 10. While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper. Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

CHOCO-CARAMEL PECAN DELIGHTS

Steps:

• 1. Beat together sugar, butter, egg yolk. milk and vanilla until well blended.
• 2. Stir together flour, cocoa and salt. Blend into butter mixture.
• 3. Chill dough for at least an hour or up to 2 weeks.
• 4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and either prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper ( which is what I use) or lightly grease them.
• 5. Take reserved egg white and add 3 tablespoons of warm water and beat together.
• 6. Shape dough into 1 inch balls roll in egg whites and then in pecans to coat, and place on prepared cookie sheets about 1 inch apart.
• 7. Press your thumb gently into the center of each cookie.
• 8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. ( check the bottom of the cookie, if it is lightly brown, you are ok)
• 9. While the cookie is still hot, take a small slice off of your soft caramels and place in the center of each cookie, it will melt while your cookie cools.
• 10. Carefully remove each cookie onto a wire rack until completely cooled.
• 11. Take the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and put them in a zip top bag and put them in a pot of hot not boiling water for about 10 minutes.
• 12. Take the bag out of the water dry completely. Knead bag to make sure all the chips are melted.
• 13. Cut a small corner off of the end of the bag and pip warm chocolate over the caramel to decorate.
• 14. Wait until chocolate is set, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

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.