Maple Sugar Creme Caramel Food

CARAMELS

Steps:

• Combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, cream, condensed milk, corn syrup and salt in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the mixture reaches 245 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Take from the heat and stir in the butter. Pour into a 6-inch square baking pan lined with parchment and allow to cool and set about 3 hours.
• Take the caramel from the pan and, using a very sharp knife gently sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, cut the caramels into squares and wrap in wax paper or candy wrappers (see Cook's Note). Store in a cool dry place.

MAPLE-SUGAR CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Set out 6 6-ounce custard cups or ramekins. Combine 1/2 cup water and 1 cup maple sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes or until the syrup looks dark and shiny and is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from the heat, and whip in the butter. Spoon evenly into the bottom of each cup. Allow to cool; the syrup will thicken.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring about 1 quart water to a boil for the water bath (bain-marie). Combine the eggs, egg yolks, milk and maple sugar. Mix very well, so that the sugar dissolves completely.
• Spoon about 2/3 cup of custard into each cup. Place the cups in a baking pan, and fill with enough boiling water to come about halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 minutes, or until set. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
• Chill thoroughly for about 2 hours. Loosen the custards with a small knife, and unmold onto plates. Be sure to serve all the sauce from each cup. Top with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

MAPLE SUGAR CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Sift the maple sugar and set aside all but 2/3 cup.
• Combine the 2/3 cup maple sugar and the water in a heavy saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring often, about 4 minutes or until the syrup is thickened and coats a spoon. It will drip threadlike when poured from a spoon. Stir in the butter.
• Pour an equal portion of the syrup into each of 4 1/2-cup molds (small individual souffle dishes are ideal). Let cool.
• Combine the whole eggs, egg yolk, milk and remaining 2/3 cup maple sugar in a mixing bowl and beat to blend thoroughly. Strain the mixture into a glass measuring cup.
• Carefully and slowly pour equal portions of the mixture into the molds.
• Carefully arrange the molds side by side in a heat-proof baking dish and pour boiling water around the molds. Place the molds in the water bath in the oven and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until the custard is set in the center.
• Remove the molds from the water bath and arrange on a rack to cool. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
• The dessert may be unmolded before serving. To unmold, run a sharp knife around the inside of each dish. Unmold onto flat serving dishes.

MAPLE CRèME CARAMEL

Steps:

• For caramel:
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly butter four 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Combine sugar and water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar melts. Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Immediately pour caramel into prepared dishes. Using oven mitts as aid, quickly rotate dishes to coat sides with some of caramel. Set aside.
• For custard:
• Whisk maple syrup, yolks and egg in medium bowl to blend. Combine cream and milk in heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Divide custard among prepared dishes. Set dishes into 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Cover baking pan with foil.
• Bake custards until set in center, about 55 minutes. Chill custard uncovered until cold, at least 5 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)
• To serve, run knife around dish sides to loosen custards. Invert onto plates.

MAPLE CRèME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F
• For caramel: Lightly butter four ramakin dishes. Combine sugar and water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar melts.
• Increase heat; boil without stirring until deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Immediately pour caramel into prepared dishes. Using oven mitts as aid, quickly rotate dishes to coat sides with some of caramel. Set aside.
• For custard: Whisk maple syrup, yolks and egg in medium bowl to blend. Combine cream and milk in heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Add a bit of the hot cream to the yolk mixture. Return this to the not cream mixture and whisk well.
• Divide custard among prepared dishes. Set dishes into 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Using your kettle, add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of dishes. Cover baking pan with foil.
• Bake custards until set in center, about 55 minutes. Remove the custard one at a time from the oven. Leave the baking pan in the oven until cooled; then remove. (this step helps prevent from spilling any hot water on yourself) Chill custard uncovered until cold, at least 5 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep refrigerated.)
• To serve, run knife around dish sides to loosen custards. Invert onto plates.

MAPLE CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine cream, sugar and syrup in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer sauce until caramel colored and reduced to 1 3/4 cups, whisking occasionally, about 35 minutes. Mix in maple flavoring. Cool slightly. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring; add 2 tablespoons hot water if necessary to dissolve any crystallized sugar.)

CARAMELS BY JACQUES PEPIN

Steps:

• Prepare a standard loaf pan either by buttering it or lining it with lightly oiled parchment paper.
• Place the butter, cut into pieces, and the cream in a glass bowl and microwave until butter is melted and mixture is hot, about 90 seconds. Set mixture aside, close enough to be reached quickly.
• Combine water, corn syrup, and sugar in a straight-sided pan. Stir just enough to moisten the sugar, but not so vigorously as to slosh any sugar onto the sides of the pan, where it is likely to crystalize.
• Heat over medium-high heat until mixture begins to boil, then put on a tight-fitting lid and continue to cook for one to two minutes. The steam will condense in the lidded pan and run down the sides, washing away any sugar crystals that have formed.
• Remove the lid and attach a candy thermometer. Cook to 320 degrees F or until the sugar begins to turn amber around the edges. This may take five to six minutes, but it can happen fast, so do not allow your attention to be diverted at this point or you will have a smoking black mess on your hands.
• As soon as the thermometer hits 320 F, or you see the edges turning amber, pour the butter and cream mixture slowly into the sugar mixture, stirring to combine. Temperature will drop to just above 200°F.
• Continue cooking until the mixture reaches your desired temperature: 240 degrees F for very soft caramels, 245 for soft-but-chewy, 250 for hard.
• When the desired temperature is reached, pour the mixture immediately into the prepared loaf pan. Allow to cool until they are just slightly warm to the touch, then turn out onto parchment or waxed paper and cut to desired size. They're very rich, so I like small pieces.
• Wrap in squares of waxed paper to store. The softer ones will need to be refrigerated, the medium and hard ones will not. These also freeze well if you want to store them longer-term.