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Correo Electrónico
Receta Creamy Dark Chocolate Caramels or Salted Vanilla Bean Caramels-- Two recipes to pick from (or make both!)
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I am really excited to share two recipe variations from the "Black Licorice Caramels" that I posted a few days ago. I'm excited for several reasons. The biggest reason is that these are delicious, and exceeded my wildest expectations.
Seriously!
If you were to ask me if I prefer Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate, I would give an enthusiastic nod to Milk. Hands down. These dark chocolate caramels have converted me. I adapted the recipe for "Black Licorice Caramels" by omitting the Anise extract.
Instead, I used Trader Joe's Brand of excellent Dark Chocolate $4.99 a pound), that cooked along with water, sugar, butter and sweetened condensed milk. The aroma of chocolate filled every nook and cranny of our kitchen/dining…
View Full Recipe at A Feast for the Eyes Food…
,%20that%20cooked%20along%20with%20water,%20sugar,%20butter%20and%20sweetened%20condensed%20milk.%20%20The%20aroma%20of%20chocolate%20filled%20every%20nook%20and%20cranny%20of%20our%20kitchen/dining%20room%20area,%20in%20a%20very%20good%20way.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENOTE:%20You%20might%20be%20wondering%20if%20you%20can%20use%20chocolate%20chips.%20My%20answer%20is%20%22I'm%20not%20sure%22.%20%20I%20recommend%20using%20bar%20chocolates,%20and%20the%20best%20quality%20you%20can%20afford.%20%20It%20will%20be%20worth%20it.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20you've%20never%20made%20caramels,%20I%20can%20assure%20you%20that%20this%20recipe%20is%20pretty%20fool-proof.%20However,%20in%20reading%20reviews%20for%20other%20recipes%20that%20I%20researched,%20it%20seemed%20that%20there%20were%20a%20number%20of%20%20people%20who%20had%20trouble%20with%20their%20candy%20setting%20up%20properly.%20%20I%20would%20venture%20to%20guess%20that%20they%20did%20not%20use%20a%20candy%20thermometer.%20%20Candy%20making%20involves%20some%20science,%20in%20that%20the%20temperature%20is%20very%20specific.%20%20Undercook%20the%20candy,%20and%20it%20will%20never%20set%20up%20properly.%20Overcook%20the%20candy,%20and%20it%20will%20become%20hard%20as%20lollipops.%20%20I've%20made%20this%20recipe%20three%20times,%20with%20perfect%20results%20every%20time.%20%20The%20target%20temperature%20is%20242F,%20which%20takes%20about%2040%20minutes%20on%20my%20gas%20range.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMy%20son%20loved%20the%20chocolate%20caramels%20so%20much,%20that%20a%20lot%20of%20them%20disappeared.%20%20I%20realized%20I%20didn't%20have%20enough%20to%20go%20around%20for%20my%20Christmas%20gift%20list,%20so%20I%20would%20need%20to%20make%20more.%20(I%20also%20had%20to%20hide%20the%20rest.)%20%20%20Since%20I'd%20had%20such%20good%20luck%20with%20the%20licorice%20and%20chocolate%20flavors,%20I%20got%20an%20idea...%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20had%20a%20box%20of%20Maldon%20Sea%20Salt%20%20and%20a%20jar%20of%20Singing%20Dog%20Vanilla%20Bean%20Paste.%20%20So,%20I%20adapted%20the%20caramel%20recipe%20once%20again--%20by%20adding%20vanilla%20bean%20paste%20and%20pure%20vanilla%20once%20the%20candy%20was%20cooked%20to%20242F.%20%20I%20waited%20about%2020%20minutes%20to%20allow%20the%20caramel%20to%20settle%20down%20a%20bit,%20before%20adding%20the%20Maldon%20Sea%20Salt%20(lest%20it%20melt%20into%20the%20caramel).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOh!%20The%20pan%20that%20you%20see%20in%20the%20above%20photo...%20%20I'm%20loving%20my%20newest%20kitchen%20gadget!%20%20This%20pan%20is%20made%20by%20Chicago%20Metallic.%20It's%20made%20of%20heavy%20duty%20plastic,%20and%20has%20grid%20lines%20for%20cutting%20things%20like%20fudge%20or%20marshmallows.%20%20Once%20the%20caramel%20set%20(allow%202-4%20hours),%20I%20simply%20unhinge%20the%20pan%20and%20lift%20out%20the%20caramel!%20%20Otherwise,%20I%20strongly%20suggest%20that%20one%20makes%20a%20parchment%20paper%20%22sling%22%20to%20lift%20out%20the%20caramel.%20%20My%20new%20pan%20is%20so%20much%20easier,%20and%20I%20love%20that%20it%20stores%20flat.%20%20I%20also%20use%20a%20very%20sharp%20chef's%20knife%20to%20easily%20cut%20the%20caramels.%20I%20get%20100-120%20pieces%20per%20batch!%20%20I%20love%20this%20pan%20so%20much,%20that%20I%20ordered%20the%20larger%20pan%20for%20making%20homemade%20marshmallows.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMy%20husband%20got%20the%20most%20excited%20about%20the%20Salted%20Vanilla%20Caramels.%20%20I%20have%20to%20admit,%20that%20these%20turned%20out%20great!%20%20I'm%20going%20to%20be%20honest,%20and%20tell%20you%20that%20I%20added%20a%20mound%20of%20additional%20sea%20salt%20just%20to%20photograph%20this%20caramel.%20%20Isn't%20it%20purty?%20%20Once%20the%20caramels%20are%20wrapped%20(which%20takes%20the%20most%20time),%20the%20sea%20salt%20slightly%20absorbs%20into%20the%20caramel.%20But,%20that's%20not%20a%20bad%20thing.%20%20Why%20should%20the%20caramels%20be%20wrapped,%20you%20might%20wonder?%20%20Answer:%20Because%20they're%20sticky!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBy%20the%20way,%20if%20you%20don't%20like%20the%20sweet%20and%20salty%20combo--%20leave%20the%20salt%20out!%20%20These%20will%20be%20delicious%20plain%20vanilla%20caramels.%20I%20won't%20judge.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EFor%20me,%20I%20still%20love%20the%20Black%20Licorice%20Caramels,%20the%20best.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETASTING%20NOTES:%20%20The%20chocolate%20and%20vanilla%20caramels%20take%20me%20back%20to%20my%20childhood,%20when%20my%20mom%20would%20buy%20a%20bag%20of%20Kraft%20Caramels%20that%20had%20both%20of%20these%20flavors.%20I%20loved%20them%20both.%20%20These%20should%20keep%20for%20a%20couple%20of%20weeks.%20%20I%20can't%20prove%20it,%20because%20I%20doubt%20they'll%20stick%20around%20that%20long.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThis%20is%20the%20first%20time%20I've%20made%20homemade%20caramel%20candies.%20%20I%20gotta%20tell%20you--%20this%20is%20a%20lot%20less%20work%20than%20cookie%20baking.%20As%20an%20added%20bonus,%20unlike%20cookies,%20%20don't%20have%20to%20worry%20about%20these%20becoming%20stale.%20%20I%20have%20a%20mound%20of%20caramels,%20in%20three%20different%20flavors,%20to%20present%20it%20gift%20bags%20to%20my%20friends%20and%20family.%20%20%20Those%20who%20have%20already%20receive%20their%20caramel%20goody%20bag,%20have%20been%20delighted%20with%20them--%20and%20they%20have%20raved%20about%20how%20delicious%20they%20are.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%20especially%20get%20a%20kick%20out%20them%20asking%20me%20if%20I%20really%20made%20them%20myself.%20Why,%20yes,%20I%20did!%20%20So%20can%20you!%20You'll%20be%20a%20hero,%20if%20you%20make%20any,%20or%20all%20of%20these%20flavors.%20%20I%20will%20never%20buy%20caramels%20again!%20Why%20should%20I?%20These%20are%20amazing!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHappy%20Holidays!%3C/p%3E){kind=link}