Chocolate Caramel Surprise Food

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL SURPRISE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pans with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats); set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium speed for 1 minute. Beat in egg and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and beat to combine.
• Use a 1 1/4-inch ice-cream scoop to form a ball of dough. Place a pecan in the dough, pressing lightly to secure. Place the dough pecan side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and pecans.
• Using the back of a teaspoon or your thumb, create an indentation in the top of each cookie and fill with 1/4 teaspoon of chopped caramel. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL DOMES

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, egg and 1 teaspoon hot water until smooth and combined.
• Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then flip out onto a cutting board to cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out 6 circles from the cake (save the scraps for another use); set aside.
• For the chocolate domes and mousse: Meanwhile, add the coconut oil and 3 ounces of the chocolate to a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and coconut oil are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour the chocolate mixture into the cavities of a silicone half-sphere mold with six 3-ounce-capacity cavities and tilt the mold to swirl the chocolate around until each half-sphere is coated entirely (you can also use your finger to swirl the chocolate around). Some chocolate may spill over on top of the mold, which is fine; it will break off when you unmold the domes. Tap out any excess chocolate and freeze until the chocolate is hardened, about 5 minutes.
• Put 1/4 cup of the cream in a small bowl and stir in the gelatin. Put the butter and remaining 6 ounces chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between each, until the chocolate and butter are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir the gelatin mixture into the chocolate mixture until the gelatin is dissolved. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Whip the remaining 3/4 cup cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the chocolate-gelatin mixture and continue beating until well combined. Add the remaining chocolate-gelatin mixture and continue beating until no streaks remain.
• For the filling and topping: Scoop 1/3 cup of the mousse into each chocolate cavity in the half-sphere mold. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a divot in the middle of each portion of chocolate mousse about halfway down. Pour a heaping teaspoon of caramel sauce into each divot. Top each half-sphere with a cake round, pressing down gently into the mousse (use a paper towel to wipe away any mousse that may seep out of the mold). Freeze until the mousse is set, about 1 hour.
• Gently peel the mold away from each of the half-spheres and place them cake-side down on a serving platter.
• Use a vegetable peeler to shave 1 tablespoon of chocolate curls from the chocolate. Put the remaining chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each, until melted, about 1 minute. Drizzle the melted chocolate over each dome and sprinkle with the chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter, 1 cup sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture just until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans. , Shape dough by tablespoonfuls around each candy. In a small bowl, combine remaining pecans and sugar; dip each cookie halfway. , Place with nut side up on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° until top is slightly cracked, 7-10 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Pop the popcorn. I like to use a hot-air popper but you can pop it any way you like.
• To make the caramel: Place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until light golden brown. We use a large pan so that there will be room to add the popcorn. Use a wooden spoon to stir the popcorn into the caramel until it is evenly coated. Pour the caramelized popcorn onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and allow it to cool. When cool, use your hands to break up any clumps.
• Place the cool popcorn in a large bowl. Use a ladle to drizzle the chocolate over the popcorn, stirring with a wooden spoon as you go. Keep adding chocolate until the popcorn is evenly coated. Pour the chocolate-coated popcorn onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and allow it to cool. When it is cool, place it in decorative bags to give as gifts.
• Tip: You can also use milk chocolate and/or white chocolate to coat the popcorn. The process is always the same.
• Be careful when you work with the caramel. It is very hot and can burn! As always, when working with caramel, have a bowl of ice-cold water next to you in case you get caramel on your hands.

SOFT CHOCOLATE CARAMELS

Steps:

• In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, stir the sugar and corn syrup together until the sugar is completely moistened. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until it turns a very light caramel color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and very slowly pour the cream into the hot sugar (be careful-it will bubble up) and stir to combine. Return the mixture to medium-low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer inserted in the pot reads 238 degrees F, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate and butter until smooth. Pour the mixture into a greased 8-by-8 inch square baking dish. Allow to cool completely (at least 2 hours) before cutting into 1-inch squares.
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.
• From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make at Home, by Jacques Torres.

DARK CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Make the crust: Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like sand. Add the egg yolk and 4 teaspoons cold water; pulse until the dough comes together and forms a ball, adding up to 2 more teaspoons water if necessary. Press the dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan in an even layer. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust looks dry, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake 5 more minutes. Transfer the crust to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the filling: Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; cover and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, until the sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the caramel is a dark amber color, 3 to 5 more minutes.
• Remove the caramel from the heat and add the heavy cream; whisk until the caramel stops bubbling. Stir in the vanilla and fine salt. Let cool to room temperature.
• Combine the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Let melt completely, about 10 minutes, then stir to combine. Remove the bowl from the pan and let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Whisk the egg yolks and whole egg in a large bowl until frothy, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the caramel, then the melted chocolate mixture. Set the tart pan on a large rimmed baking sheet; pour the filling into the crust.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake until the tart is set around the edges but the center is still jiggly, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until fully set, at least 3 hours. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.

CARAMEL CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 1-qt. microwave-safe bowl, combine the caramels, chocolate chips, milk and butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 1-2 minutes; stir. Heat 30-60 seconds longer or until the caramels are almost melted; stir until smooth. Serve warm if desired over ice cream (sauce will thicken upon standing). Refrigerate leftovers.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with 1/4 cup milk; stir until smooth. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in dry cake mix and remaining milk., Spread half of the dough into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes; sprinkle with chocolate chips. , Gently spread caramel mixture over chips. Drop remaining dough by tablespoonfuls over caramel layer. Return to the oven for 15 minutes.