Candy Making

Hey, All!

Sorry I don't have a whole lot of stuff to tell you, but I've been busy making candy this last week. I'm about 2/3 of the way finished, but still have a few days of candy making to do.

I've made 2 batches of MAG's Decadent Fudge, and wrapped the pieces in foil one batch of Sea Salt Caramel (dipped in dark chocolate), Aftershock cinnamon caramel. Of the molded truffle filled chocolates, I've made:

Maple Walnut, Strawberry Margarita, Cranberry, Limoncello, Whiskey Toffee, Amaretto, Rum Raisin, Porto, Grand Marnier, Key Lime, Frangelico, Gingerbread, Grapefruit, and Peppermint Schnapps.

I did take pictures for a tutorial Margaret-style, but I haven't had a chance to download them to even see if they are usable. I'll download them and then, hopefully, I'll have a chance to organize them into something to blog about next week.

Okay, I just looked at them. They're so-so. I have all the kitchen lights on and they still look yellowy and dim, but the ones with the flash are washed out. Seriously, I don't know how the Pioneer Woman does it!

During this process, I had to take Tuesday off--Weight Watchers, lunch with my 91-year old mom (we hung out and chatted until her dentist appt.), took her to the dentist, picked my daughter up from school, fix dinner and then off to dry land and swim practice. The only thing I accomplished on Tuesday was crocheting.

Then on Thursday, I had to hit the liquor store. I knew I was running out of some flavors and had to make some new truffle fillings. AND more than $222 later, I was home making flavors--Amaretto, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Gingerbread, and grapefruit. The grapefruit one was supposed to have Blue Curacao in it, but when I added a small amount to the concentrated red-orange of the grapefruit-tequila combo, it would have turned into something totally gross. Who wants to eat a gross brown mess?

Yes, the gingerbread is kinda a gross brown color, but it tastes like gingerbread, while the grapefruit combo wouldn't have fit that look AT ALL!

Now, I have a decent size bottle of Blue Curacao and no idea how to use it!

Anyway, I have four flavors to mold today: Chambord (raspberry), Buttershots (butterscotch), Black forest (cherry), Barenjager (honey). The only filling in this batch made with white chocolate is the Chambord. I should have enough of the fillings for the molds, but you never know with some of the deeper molds, but I have supplies to make more if I need to.

These four will keep me busy most of the day after my walkies. I need to make at least 50 candies of each flavor and the molds only make 8 candies each. Let's do the math: I need to make at least 7 batches for a total of 56 candies. Extras always need to be made to account for breakage, leakage, and taste-testing. Now we take those 56 candies and multiply it by 4 flavors, which equals 224 candies.

It takes me roughly, 30-45 minutes to make one batch of candies.

In theory, I should finish them in 4 hours, but that doesn't take into account the trimming of excess chocolate, or putting them in paper cups. Trimming can take up to 2 hours on 224 candies, depending on the shape of the mold and how messy I am.

Just reading about this is giving me a headache! I finished watching all the Harry Potter movies last week. I think I'll watch The Mummy 1 & 2. I need a little Brendan Frasier to get me though.

After I finish the molded chocolates, I'm still not finished. I have the Buttery Pecan toffee (dipped in chocolate and coated with ground pecans), Turtles (caramel coated pecans dipped in chocolate), Sea Salt caramel (this time dipped in milk chocolate), Grand Marnier caramels to mold, regular caramel to mold, cherries Jubilee caramel and a mixed berry caramel to mold. I also thought I'd make a Kahlua filling--which is ANOTHER molded chocolate! 

I'm already running behind today, so I'd better get a move on!

Later, Peeps!

Visiting DD's blog

I'm over at Delilah Devlin's blog today. And I'm being slightly naughty, so only 18 years and older can visit!

Just kidding! Stop by and say "Hi!"

Foodie Friday--Sea Salt Caramels

For the last few years, I have been looking for the elusive hard caramel recipe that can be cut and dipped for candy giving. I’ve used Peter’s caramel (Country Kitchen Sweetart is actually $4 cheaper than Amazon!) for my turtles for years and have even cut them into small bite-sized squares and dipped them in chocolate. It’s wonderful and buttery, but it hasn’t quite been what I was looking for.

I had wanted to make a salted caramel. I’ve heard about them for years, but just couldn’t find the recipe I wanted . . . until now. This recipe is to DIE for! It has the sweet, salty crunchiness along with the right amount of stiffness that a good caramel should have. Try it--you’ll fall in love with it just like my ‘guinea pigs’ did!

--On a side note, when sugar cooks it splatters and recrystallizes on the sides of the pan just above the liquid line. Many recipes will recommend 'washing' the sides of the pan with water on a brush when cooking sugar. I don't do this any more. It's too time consuming and it really doesn't help. SWIRL the hot sugar mixture periodically, and when you pour the caramel out of the pan to set up, be careful not to scrape the crystalized sugar into the caramel.

SEA SALT CARAMELS

1 1/3 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)

2 cups sugar
½ cup light corn syrup (Karo)
½ cup honey (I used Orange Blossom honey, because I had it in the cabinet)
6 Tbls. butter, cut into small cubes, about 24 pieces
1 tsp. vanilla extract (Madagascar real vanilla)
2 tsp. sea salt (if you have fleur de sel great, but I used Alessi coarse sea salt)

Dipping chocolate (Merkens)

1 tsp. sea salt for decorating

Line 8-inch square Pyrex baking dish with aluminum foil. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Place cream in large saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in sugar, corn syrup and honey, continue stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Cook candy, swirling occasionally, until it reaches the temperature of 257 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat and add butter, vanilla, and salt.  Stir until ingredients are incorporated; take care not to scrape sides where sugar has crystallized.

Pour into prepared pan. Scrap out caramel, but again, take care NOT to scrape areas where sugar has crystallized. Set at room temperature too harden. Lightly cover with waxed paper after it has cooled if you are letting it set overnight before you make your caramels.

Melt chocolate until it is smooth. Place waxed paper sheets on counter for dipped chocolates. Place sea salt in small container to be sprinkled (about 5-6 grains) on top of caramel.

Remove caramel from pan by using the foil ‘handles’. Carefully remove foil as it can tear. Cut caramel into 1/2- inch squares, dip into chocolate until coated. Lift out with dipping fork and place on waxed paper to dry.  Dip a few pieces (I can do about 10 without the chocolate hardening too much, but I’ve been doing this awhile) and then, sprinkle decoratively with salt. Let dry.

Take a sharp thin knife and trim excess chocolate puddling around base of caramels.  Place in paper cups or store in air tight container until ready for giving or eating! Enjoy!!