Hazelnut Caramel Sauce Food

HAZELNUT CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350°F.
• Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Lift the nuts off the baking sheet, leaving any nut powder behind; it will be a little bitter and won't feel right in your mouth.
• Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and drizzle in the honey. Pour the sugar into a deep skillet and sprinkle it with a tablespoon or two of cool water. Drizzle on the corn syrup, add the salt, and cook over high heat. Leave the pan alone until the sugar starts to color, then pick up the pan and swirl the sugar in it so it colors evenly. Cook until the sugar is dark amber. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour in the hot cream; this will boil up and spatter, so be careful. Return the pan to the heat and cook, rolling the caramel in the pan, until the caramel comes back to a boil and is completely smooth again.
• Pour the caramel over the chocolate and honey and leave it for about 1 minute. Then stir and fold with a heatproof rubber scraper until the chocolate has melted completely. Fold in the nuts. Taste for salt; it should be on the salty side.
• You can make the nut caramel days in advance and refrigerate it, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Heat it up in the microwave or a double boiler before you use it.

HAZELNUT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line 9-inch square baking pan with 2-inch high sides with heavy-duty aluminum foil, extending foil over sides of pan. Butter foil.
• Melt 1 cup of butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add both sugars, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk and stir until sugar dissolves. Scape seeds from vanilla into mixture; add bean. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of saucepan. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil. Cook mixture 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Using tongs, remove vanilla bean and discard. Continue cooking until candy thermometer registers 242°F, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes longer. Immediately remove from heat; stir in hazelnuts. Quickly pour caramel into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool until firm, about 1 hour.
• Using buttered heavy large knife, score 8 lines lengthwise to depth of 1/4 inch in caramel, then score 8 lines crosswise. Using aluminum foil as aid, lift caramel out of pan. Using same buttered heavy large knife, cut caramel on scored lines into pieces. Wrap each piece of caramel in cellophane. (Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Store caramels in airtight containers.)