Fat Free Soft Caramels Food

EASY 4 INGREDIENT SOFT CARAMELS (NO CANDY THERMOMETER REQUIRED)

Steps:

• In a medium sauce pan combine butter and sugar and stir over medium heat until melted. Stir in corn syrup and condensed milk.
• Bring to a boil and then decrease to simmer 7-10 minutes or until mixture achieves deep golden color, stirring constantly. (*For lower altitudes, simmer time may need to be reduced 2-3 minutes, watch carefully for coloring!) - See update below recipe!
• Pour caramel into a foil-lined 8x8 inch pan and allow to cool completely. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt if desired.
• When completely cooled, cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.

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.

FAT FREE SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Lightly spray an 8 x 8-inch pan with non stick butter or regular cooking spray and set aside.
• In a medium sized heavy bottomed sauce pan combine sugar with corn syrup, butter flavoring and condensed milk. Stir mixture over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook stirring frequently until mixture reaches 234 to 238 degrees on candy thermometer. (soft ball stage) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pour immediately into prepared pan.
• Cool to lukewarm and mark in 1-inch squares using a knife sprayed with cooking spray.
• Spray a teaspoon lightly with cooking spray and scoop 1 heaping teaspoon of caramel onto a 4 x 5-inch square of waxed candy papers. Roll paper jellyroll fashion and twist ends to seal. Store in a cool dark place for several weeks.

SOFT CHEWY CREAM CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 8x8 pan with non-stick foil. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the sugar, cream and corn syrup. Mix and bring to a gentle boil and stir until the sugar is melted.
• Insert a candy thermometer and continue boiling over medium-low heat until the candy reaches 247-248 degrees. Stir occasionally. If you like your caramel slightly firmer, let cook to 250 degrees. This can take 45 minutes to an hour, so be patient.
• Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and stir to combine. Pour into prepared pan.
• Allow caramel to cool, then lift from the pan using the foil as a sling. Place on a cutting board and slice into 1-inch squares. Wrap in wax paper.
• These freeze well.

CREAMY SOFT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter and set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the sugars, salt and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in corn syrup; return to a boil. Remove from the heat; slowly stir in milk. , Cook and stir over medium-low heat until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Cool. Using foil, lift candy out of pan; cut into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper.

FAT FREE CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Spray 2 large popcorn bowls with Pam.
• Pop popcorn in an air popper and split evenly into the greased bowls.
• Heat brown sugar and maple syrup on high in a small pot, stirring constantly until boiling.
• Pour sauce evenly over the two bowls of popcorn.
• Stir well and salt to taste!
• Eat, enjoy, and remember to brush your teeth, or you'll make your dentist rich beyond his/her dreams!

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.