Caramel Sauce... I'm cheating on my caramels!

Found a new love and fun new experiment.  I saw something on pinterest that aligned with an idea my daughter had proposed to me.  Can we make a caramel sauce out of the caramel recipe?  My daughter said the caramels tasted just like the caramel sauce at our favorite ice cream parlor Leatherby's.  My first thought was why couldn't we cook the caramel recipe less.  Then I saw the Slow Cooker Caramel Sauce pin.  The recipe was very similar to the caramel recipe.  Only a couple things differed.  1/2 as much butter, white sugar and brown sugar and lemon juice.

I decided I wouldn't add the lemon juice.  The reason given on the blog entry said it was so the caramel sauce sugar wouldn't crystallize after it was done.  WELL I saw an Alton Brown show about 5 years ago on this very subject.  He was talking about the crystallization of sugar in fudge (BTW the peanut butter fudge recipe from this episode is outstanding.)  He acted out the whole science experiment explaining when fudge crystallizes and how to stop it.  His solution was to add 1 T of corn syrup to confuse the sugar molecules and stop the crystallization.  The caramel recipe calls for 1 full cup of corn syrup.  So, I think we're covered for any crystallization problems.

I decided to use all brown sugar like my caramel recipe, but I decided to use the amount of butter called for in the caramel sauce recipe.

Finding a bowl to fit in my crockpot was the most difficult part of this whole process.  I ended up using my daughter's newer model crockpot since it was bigger and could hold the right sized bowl.
I followed the directions up to mixing the ingredients and putting them into the crockpot and there is where I diverged a little.  I didn't want to mess with it.  I wanted it to cook all night while I was asleep.  8 hours.  The recipe said it HAD to be on high to properly cook.  Since I was using my daughter's newer crockpot I knew the heat was already higher on low than mine is on low (the reason I love my old crockpot.)  I figured it might do just fine on low for 8 hours.

Before cooking.

After 7 1/2 hours

I was correct.  When I took the lid off in the morning it had been 7 1/2 hours and the texture of the caramel sauce looked a little custard like.  That did scare me at first.  I plunged my wire whisk in and began stirring.  Once it was stirred well it had the proper texture of caramel sauce.  It smelled and tasted fantastic.  I teased my daughter it was all I could do not to pinch my nose and do a cannonball right into it.  It was that good.

Now that we've actually used it on ice cream our thoughts are it does need that 1/2 cup of butter.  Though delicious and we'll eat every drop (reason why I've already given 1/2 of it away) it does need a more buttery taste to meet our idea of the perfect caramel sauce.

Makes 4 cups.  I had already filled a small mason jar to give as a gift.

Apples or ice cream it really hits the spot.

I will definitely make this again with 1 cup of butter, all brown sugar, and no lemon juice.

Caramels, My New Love

Went to my December machine knitting meeting and Ellen gave us a cute container with caramels in it.  I had one the minute I got to my car.  It was so good and I knew my daughter would love one.  I called her to tell her I had them, so I wouldn't eat them all before I got home.  She too loved the buttery homemade taste of these caramels.  I asked Ellen if I could have the recipe and she said, "Of course."  I named the recipe after her.  I do that when someone gives me a recipe that's going to be around for a while.  That way I can think about the person who gave it to me when I make it.

 Ellen’s Caramels
1 cup butter
1 pound (2 ¼ cups) brown sugar
Dash of salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 15-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter in heavy 3-quart saucepan.  Add sugar, and salt; stir thoroughly.  Stir in corn syrup; mix well. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.  Cook and stir over medium heat to firm ball stage (245 degrees), takes 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Pour into buttered 9x9x2 inch pan.  Cool and cut into squares.  Makes about 2 ½ pounds.

Very easy recipe.  One special piece of cooking equipment needed.  A candy thermometer.  My can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk was 14 oz.  Typo or did they use to be 15 oz?  14 worked fine.

In 30 minutes anyone could have 2 1/2 pounds of caramels cooling in their kitchen.  My aunt said they were commercial quality.

They were very easy to cut if I used the tip of my sharp knife and drew it straight toward side of pan.  I cut mine into 64 pieces.  I scored it evenly 8 across and cut each strip into 8 pieces.  They were delightfully too big.  It took me 3-4 bites to eat one.  I think next time I'll try 9 or 10 across.

I wrapped each piece in wax paper that I cut to fit.  Ellen wrapped hers in plastic wrap.  Both worked out well.  The caramels held their shape well in their wrappers.  I made the mistake of cutting my caramels while in the middle of a 49ers games.  I tried a bite resumed my game and when I came back an hour or so later they were spreading slowly.  Not enough to make a mess other than with my portioning.

I've gotten equally rave reviews.  Passed the recipe along.  I seldom hear of anyone using a recipe I passed along.  In this case 2 people have already made caramels.  Lucky them!

Happy Valentine's Day

I decided this year to make a treat for my friends I was going to see that day.  I was going to my machine knitting meeting and then I was going to the gym and I wanted to treat my daughter and her college roommates.  I saw this project at a Stampin' Up get together the week before and just had to do it.  It was SO easy and so adorable.  I used 2 bags of Valentine M&Ms, 1 X 8 inch cellophane bags, and a Valentine stamp from Stampin' Up.  This made 28 of these Valentine Treats.

Only one person came to me privately and said, "Can I give these back to you?  We don't celebrate Valentine's Day."  I had given her 3, so she could give one each to her 2 young daughter's.  I've always thought it strange when my kids would bring home Christmas gifts they had made for their teachers saying some teachers refused to take them.  Numerous reasons... "I'm diabetic," "I don't celebrate Christmas," "I don't accept gifts from my students."  It's a frickin gingerbread cookie, not the Mona Lisa.  Really?  It's not about the cookie.  It's a person wanting to give you their glad tidings for the holiday.  You don't have to eat it, wear it, or hang it on your wall.  Just accept it with the spirit in which it was given.  What you do with it later is totally your own business.  The person talking to me is a young friend of mine and I told her just that.  She said she was embarrassed and didn't want my handy work to go to waste.  I said that's the beauty of it.  I'd never know.

I've gotten a thing or 2 over the years that I didn't want.  Like the time I was at a BBQ and the President of the soccer club didn't want the giant bottles of Costco mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard to go to waste (even though they had been out in the heat all afternoon).  Nobody would take them understandably so, but he was so concerned about them being wasted.  I said, "Yes, I'll take them."  They felt so good about them not going to waste.  Dear hubby got into the car with his eyes wide as saucers that I was going to give our whole family salmonella.  I said, "Are you kidding me!!  Those bottles of poison are not stepping one foot into our house, but the President doesn't need to know that."  Hubby winked at me, pulled on to the road home and said, "You did a good thing."

Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle

I call the below recipe "Aunt Ruthie's Microwave Nut Brittle."  She gave me a microwave cookbook for a wedding present and she specifically pointed out this recipe as being good.  Boy, was she right.  25 years later I still make it every holiday season.

 

I started a bit early this year as I saw a possible variant that sounded so good.  The recipe had pumpkin seeds, which are my new love this year.  I put them on salads, but thought Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle sounded wonderful.  It was great!  Loved the flavor of the roasted pumpkin seeds and the cinnamon.

 

 

I decided to just add the new ingredients to my microwave nut brittle recipe since it's so easy.  To the below recipe I add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 cup of roasted unsalted pumpkin seeds as the nuts.

 

The cinnamon goes in when I add the butter, vanilla and nuts.  And of course pumpkin seeds in for the nuts.  Make sure when the cinnamon goes in you stir quickly and get the lumps of cinnamon stirred in.

 

What I found facinating (yes I'm easily entertained in the kitchen) is when roasting the pumpkin seeds at 350 degrees F they pop.  They looked like Mexican jumping beans!  The pumpkin seeds only needed 5 minutes in the oven and they are plenty roasted.  I took a pretty poor video as it had to be done through the oven window, so the heat would make them pop.  You can totally see them pop though.

 

 

So, below is the basic brittle recipe and the method I use to cook it.  Just remember to add the new ingredients for a wonderful holiday treat.

 

Microwave Nut Brittle

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup roasted nuts (peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts are all very good)

1 teaspoon baking soda

Lightly grease a cookie sheet (or get out your Silpat). In a 2 quart ovenware with handle, combine corn syrup and sugar. Stir well. Cook on high for 4 minutes. Do not cover. (Yes, I microwave my wooden spoon. Then I don't have a sticky spoon to lay down between steps. Use a hot mitt though the spoon gets scalding hot.)

Add butter, vanilla and nuts, mixing well. Cook on high for 4 minutes.

Stir in baking soda. Quickly, (I DO MEAN FAST) pour mixture onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Allow to cool 1 hour. Breaks into bite sized pieces. Yields - 3/4 pound.

(To break up I pick it up by the edge and tap it gently on the Silpat. Break into nice size pieces.)

Candy Apples

(scary like hot lava... be very careful)

Dear daughter said she likes candy apples not caramel apples.  Well, I've never made candy or candied apples and thought it would be a fun project.  My dear father picked and gave me 40 pounds of apples and thought "perfect" won't have to decide what kind of apple to use.

I searched the Internet for recipes and they are all basically the same.... sugar, corn syrup, water and food color.  Some add cinnamon flavoring, but DD said no to that.  Cook with a candy thermometer to some where between 280 degrees to 310 degrees depending on the recipe you go with.  I went with the "Mom's Who Think" recipe.  They suggested clove oil and that sounded good to me, but DD said no to cinnamon I better say no to clove.  Easy recipe as I had all the ingredients and supplies at home.  No shopping to do.  Win win.

I had cookie sticks and decided to use them.  Everything from Popsicle sticks to bamboo skewers were suggested.  One thing I didn't even think of as I chose my apples for this recipe was do they stand up straight when sitting on a flat surface.  I had 3 that sat at a strange angle and one that wouldn't stand up at all unless on an angled surface.  Thank goodness for the lip of my pan as you can see the apple on the far left in the back is using it to stay upright.

One thing I noticed most pictures I saw the candied apples had bubbles.  I thought it was the bubbling candy mixture that left bubbles, but I found out that when I put an apple into the hot candy the apple exuded bubbles.  Nothing I could really do about that.  Honestly, I didn't think anyone would say, "That candied apple has bubbles I'm not eating it!"  I did find that the cooler the candy got the less bubbles, but the candy was thicker and it wouldn't swirl on a apple very well.  If I were to do this again that is something to experiment with.

Since I've made candy the recipe was pretty cut and dry.  Cook sugar, corn syrup, water, food coloring mixture until it reached 290 degrees F.  Hard crack on my candy thermometer.  I must say watching the candy bubble and boil til it reached the heat it needed I could see where the candy apple red color comes from for cars.  It's a GORGEOUS color.  After bubbling subsides swirl apples that have been placed on a stick in candy and set on a nonstick surface.  My apples were small so I got 12 covered.

They cooled quickly and DD couldn't wait to try one.  They were as I remembered hard as a rock.  My comment to DD before she bit into one was "don't break a tooth."  She tried cutting the apple into slices and eating it, but still the candy went straight to ones teeth and got stuck.  With lots of saliva and picking one could get it off, but didn't make for a very enjoyable eating experience.

Our verdict... candy apples are beautiful from a far.

Oreo Cookies on a Stick

I saw Oreos dipped in chocolate on a stick online and thought how cute, yummy and quick would these be for a bake sale at my daughter's school.  I did a search online.  Read up on how others had made theirs and decided on a couple things.  I didn't want to open each cookie up to put the stick in as a couple sites recommended.  I definitely wanted to use popsicle sticks verses the white candy sticks.  I just loved the look of the stick.  I also loved the look of the white candy coating with sprinkles.

What I needed... 2 packs of "Double Stuf" Oreos, one pack of popsicle sticks, 2 - 12oz. bags of white candy coating (I used Guittard), and sprinkles of your choice.  This made 52 Oreo pops.  I think I had about 6 broken cookies that didn't even make it to the stick process.  DH was glad to put them out of their misery.

For each cookie I measured how far I wanted the stick to go in then I pushed it into the cookie.

I found that probably half the cookies were either already broken or I broke them pushing the stick in.  Not sure which.  Holding the cookie semi firmly with fingers and thumb of one hand as I pushed the stick in kept everything together.  I found the frosting held the cookies together nicely and that the broken cookie wasn't a factor in the finished product. 

Only one time out of 52 did a piece of the broken cookie dropped off into the chocolate. I just picked it up and stuck it back in place. No problem.

52 cookies on a stick waiting to be coated.

 After a few air pockets emerging on the sides I decided it was better to coat the center of the cookies before coating the top and the bottom.  I never dipped the cookies as I didn't think they stay on the stick and the broken cookies might fall a part.

  I used a spoon to drizzle candy coating around the center frosting section

 Then I spooned some coating on the top and using a "saucing a pizza like swirl" I spread the coating.  Flipped the cookie over and repeated.  I then gently tapped side of stick with my finger to loosen up the excess candy coating to drip back into the double boiler.  Good thing I did this as with 2 - 12oz bags of candy coating I was JUST able to coat 52 cookies.  Would not have been able to do 53.

 I put all the cookies on wax paper.  It was a little too warm in my kitchen yesterday for them to set in a timely manner. I ended up putting them in the freezer for 15 minutes.

 Since these were something quick I wanted to try for a bake sale I didn't bother standing them up to set and putting sprinkles on both sides.  For a party at my house I might do that.

 They just turned out adorable.

 They looked like something one would have to buy.

 I know they will be a hit at the bake sale.

 I could have sent them over like this, but I was feeling very crafty yesterday.

And I wrapped each one in a little bag.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Delights

That's what I'm going to call them.  It's a twist on an old recipe.  They've been called Peanut Butter Balls in the past sans the pretzels, but these don't quite fit that shape anymore. I wanted people to know what was in them.  Not that it really matters.  Anyone seeing these dives right in not knowing anything else about them other than it's something covered in chocolate.  I got the best compliment Saturday.  A friend picked one up and I asked would you like to know what it is.  She said, "Something covered in chocolate made by you?  It's got to be great!"  Why thank you.  They are.

I got the idea to add pretzels from hungrygnomes' blog.  When I saw the circular pretzels at the grocery store I knew they'd be fun to make.

You can find the recipe for the peanut butter filling in a previous post located here.  Once the filling is made it's just a matter of shaping and dipping.

I did find these easier and a bit faster to make, because I didn't have to roll each and every ball by hand.  They went straight from the cookie scoop to the pretzel then add top pretzel and press slightly.

Once all pretzels were used up I placed sheet of Peanut Butter filled pretzels in freezer for 15 minutes.  Then I removed tray to fridge until I was ready to dip in chocolate.

This year I melted chocolate in microwave.  I usually use a double boiler.  I've been working out at the gym this past month.  It's a good tired, but I just wanted to sit down rather than stand at the stove for an hour.

Tap off a bit of the extra chocolate.

I used the bottom of the fork I was dipping with to make the design on the top.  They looked like they needed a little something.

I dipped 80 of these.  That's all I had enough unbroken pretzels for.  Not bad though since each one needed 2 pretzels.  I have enough peanut butter filling for 20 more.  I'll just make them into balls rather than buy more pretzels.

The only thing I'd do different next time is I'd use maybe half as much filling. The delicious peanut butter filling overpowers the pretzels. They are merely a crunch.  Don't get me wrong these are still delightful.

Silly video my daughter made while I was making these.

My Friend Kelli's Peanut Butter Balls

When Kelli and I first met online we decided to have a cookie exchange for Christmas that year. That was about 15 years ago. Everything she sent was good, but one item was a stand out and I had never had anything like it. It was the Peanut Butter Ball. So, creamy, so peanutty, with a slight crunch from the peanut pieces. I loved them and had to have the recipe. She gladly sent it. I've been making them for 15 years. I've made them for friends and also passed the recipe on to delighted recipients on the West Coast.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

1 cup butter
1 pound crunchy peanut butter
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 pound box of graham crackers, crushed (approx. 3 cups of crumbs)
dipping chocolate (milk or semi-sweet)

Combine butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and graham crackers until well mixed. Shape into balls. Melt chocolate and dip balls. Cool on waxed paper.  Makes about 80.

Lynne's note: I used 3 cups of semi sweet chocolate that is what I always have on hand. I add some grated paraffin wax to chocolate. About 1/8 of a stick. It's edible and smooths out the chocolate giving it a nice thin shiny coating. If that freaks you out try adding 1 T or so of shortening. Does a similar thing. I found not thinning out the chocolate gives the balls a thicker chocolate coating that overwhelms the flavor of the peanut butter filling. If you love chocolate and are thinking "thicker coating is a bad thing?!" Then leave it out and go for it.

Used cookie scoop for 1 inch ball size and rolled balls by hand to smooth out.

Dipped in chocolate that was melted in a double boiler.  If you don't have one melt chocolate in microwave 30 seconds at a time stirring after each 30 seconds until all chocolate is melted.  Reheat chocolate when it cools and doesn't cover peanut butter balls well.

Left over chocolate no problem throw in some pretzels, maraschino cherries, dried fruit.  Stir around until coated pour out on waxed paper to set.  Break up for another holiday treat.

Where Am I?

I've been busy machine knitting.  You can find me over at my machine knitting blog.  I did take the time last night to make up one of our favorite Christmas snacks.  It's very rich and sweet, so I like to make it when there are going to be a lot of people around to eat it.  That way we won't eat ourselves sick.  Yes, it's that good.

White Christmas Snack Mix


2 cups Chex® wheat, corn or rice cereal
2 cups broken graham crackers
2 cups pretzel sticks
2 cups broken rice cakes
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup craisins
1 cup slivered almonds
1 pound white chocolate baking pieces or baking bars, chopped
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

In a very large mixing bowl, mix together cereal, graham crackers, pretzels, rice cakes, marshmallows, raisins and nuts; set aside. Line a very large baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper; set aside. Place white chocolate, whipping cream and corn syrup in medium saucepan. Heat over low heat until melted; remove from heat and stir gently until smooth. Stir in extract.
 
Pour warm chocolate mixture over cereal mixture. Toss gently until cereal mixture is coated. Immediately spread onto prepared baking sheet. Cool about 60 minutes or until chocolate is set. Let stand up to 12 hours. Seal in plastic bags for longer storage.
 
Lynne's note:  This I believe was a Chex recipe from the 90's.  This time though *looking over shoulder* I used Crispix cereal.  It has rice on one side and corn on the other.  I never can decided between corn or rice Chex.  The wheat is just too healthy for this mix.  I like to use Teddy Grahams instead of breaking up graham crackers.  When I bought the white chocolate it came in a 12 oz. bag, 4 oz. shy of what the recipe calls for.  I put a tad less cream in.  It worked out fine.  Just as rich and tasty.

Leftover Cheesecake....oh bummer

There is an ice cream parlor in Sacramento that sells frozen chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick. It is so good that while you're eating it a wall comes up and blocks out all the troubles of the world. So, eat it slowly.

The ice cream parlor is not close to us, so a few years ago I thought I'd try making my own with "leftover cheesecake." Is that an oxymoron? I only say that, because we don't normally have leftover cheesecake. It is VERY difficult to hide a few pieces to dip in chocolate.

With some "leftover cheesecake" my first experiment was with straight melted semi sweet chocolate chips. Don't get me wrong it was good... VERY GOOD... but one did feel like they were going to go into a diabetic coma while eating it. Like a moth to a flame we couldn't stop eating it. A wall comes up and also blocks out all your common sense to protect yourself from a stomachache.

When my brain turned back on my first thought was the cheesecake slice was too big and the chocolate too thick. So, second try my son cut the slices thinner and applied the melted chocolate chips trying to scrap some of the chocolate off. Again good... VERY GOOD, but still was a bit overwhelming, but one couldn't stop eating it.

This time I decided to try a Magic Shell recipe we use for ice cream. We started making our own Magic Shell, because it's expensive and you don't get very much in a bottle. Who wants a Magic Drizzle... we want a SHELL. Since I get chocolate chips at Costco I found a recipe that is easy to make and much more in one's budget.

Homemade Magic Shell

8 servings
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup corn oil

2 servings
1 1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon corn oil

Microwave until all is melted. Stir together and pour over ice cream.

Here are all the homemade magic shell ingredients in a double boiler. I use canola oil as I never have corn oil around. I'm also using a double boiler rather than the microwave as I wanted the chocolate to stay liquid as I coated each cheesecake slice.

Long before I start the chocolate process I should point out that I put a stick in each slice and put them in the freezer overnight. When frozen they don't fall a part or fall off the stick as you coat them in chocolate. I happen to have these 8" Wilton cookie treat sticks on hand. Wooden sticks would probably be cheaper and would work equally well if you have them on hand.

Using a double boiler you want water in the lower pan to simmer slightly and not touch the bottom of double boiler. If you don't have Pampered Chef's fancy dancy double boiler one could use a heat resistant bowl that sits on top of a pan. I did that for many years.

Stir until everything is melted and has a creamy consistency.

I began spooning the chocolate over the frozen cheesecake. If you dip it won't fit all the way in and the chocolate will start melting the cheesecake and it starts to fall a part. Spooning went quickly.

Once coated I found that I needed to do a minor tap on the side of the double boiler to get some extra dips off. Also lightly scrap the bottom of the cheesecake on the edge of the double boiler; otherwise, a large pool of unattractive chocolate will form on bottom. Is that another oxymoron "unattractive chocolate?"

I set each chocolate coated cheesecake on a wax paper covered cookie sheet.

See no pool of "unattractive chocolate" at bottom of dipped piece.

Into the freezer they go. I do this in a 2 day process *looking over both shoulders* just so there are a few days of NOT eating cheesecake in this house. I try and get more fruits and vegetables into the family before next cheesecake frenzy. This could easily be done in a day. Freeze in morning, dip in afternoon, eat at night.

Erik taste testing new coating... he did pick the first one with the big pool of "unattractive chocolate." Don't have to worry about those pieces going to waste with chocolate lovers around.

"Erik is it too thin?"

"No mom it's good." Later he did say it could be a bit more chocolaty. We'll try using half the butter and oil when we continue our experiment in making the world a better place with homemade chocolate covered frozen cheesecake.