Salted Caramel Spritz Food

SALTED CARAMEL SPRITZ

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine caramels and half-and-half in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring until caramels are melted, about 5 minutes.
• Beat butter and brown sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg and salt. Beat in fluid caramel sauce. Add flour; beat until combined.
• Fill a cookie press with the dough and press onto baking sheets, 1 to 2 inches apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium pot over medium heat, melt 3/4 cup sugar with 3 tablespoons water, swirling skillet frequently, until sugar turns mahogany brown in color (it should be almost but not quite black).
• Add heavy cream, milk, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the salt; simmer mixture until caramel melts and cream mixture is completely smooth. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream.
• Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Sprinkle flaky sea salt into base during the last 2 minutes of churning. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Place sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until sugar begins to melt. Continue stirring until the sugar melts completely, begins to darken and all the chunks are dissolved, about 10 minutes. Stop stirring and continue to cook until the sugar begins to smoke and turns a dark shade of amber, 3 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and wait 30 seconds.
• Whisk in butter until melted and combined. Slowly pour in 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon cream, taking care because it can bubble over. Sprinkle in salt and stir to combine. Transfer sauce to a jar and cool completely before refrigerating.

SALTED CARAMEL SPRITZ

Steps:

• For the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the caramels and half-and-half in a small saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramels are melted, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Beat in egg and salt, and then the cooled but still fluid caramel mixture.
• On low speed, mix in the flour.
• Use a spritz cookie press to press the cookies out onto ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, until set and just beginning to brown around the bottom.
• Transfer to wire racks to cool and repeat with remaining dough.
• For the glaze, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar and half-and-half. Heat over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
• Place wire rack with cookies over a baking sheet. Drizzle the cookies with the glaze and sprinkle with salt. Let cookies dry until glaze is set.