Cake Tips

• To line the cake pans with parchment, trace the bottom of a pan onto a sheet of parchment. Then stack three sheets and cut all three circles at once. Butter the pans, smearing evenly with your fingers or a paper towel or a butter wrapper over the bottom and sides of the pans. Then place the parchment in the bottom of each pan upside down, so to speak, so that it does not curl upwards. Butter parchment gently, holding it in place with one hand while you butter with the other. Finish by tapping a couple of tablespoons of cocoa into the first pan. Working over a garbage bin, shake the cocoa over the bottom of the pan and then tip it so that the cocoa comes to rest on the side of the pan. Rotate the pan 360 degrees until the cocoa has coated the sides of the pan. Then tip the cocoa into the next pan and repeat. When you finish the third pan, tap any excess cocoa into the bin.

• Measure your flour according to the directions for each recipe you use. Weighing flour is the most accurate method, but, alas, almost no American recipes indicate weights. If the recipe does not indicate a measuring technique, check the front of your cookbook. Cookbook authors frequently include a section on basics and ingredients. There may be notes on whether flour for their particular recipes should be scooped and leveled, lightened and scooped, or spooned in. Scooping and leveling is the heaviest measure of flour—just plunge your cup into your flour container, bring up a heaping cupful, and level it with a knife or other flat implement. To lighten flour before measuring, run a fork or whisk through flour. Then scoop gently and level. To spoon in, simply lift tablespoons of flour from container to cup and level it. For this recipe, I lighten the flour, scoop, and level.

• For a slightly more refined texture, sieve the flour when you add it to the cake. You can certainly skip this step. Sometimes it feels a bit fussy to sift dry ingredients, and the cake will be delicious whether or not you bother.

• It’s important that you not overbeat cake batter when you add the dry ingredients. You can beat it vigorously and without adverse affect when you are bringing together butter and sugar and other wet ingredients early in a recipe. But when you add the flour, be especially gentle with it. Beat it until it is incorporated, watching carefully and mindfully. Once the flour has disappeared, stop beating. If you overbeat batter at this point, the result will be a tough cake.

• I usually bake the cakes ahead. You may wrap them tightly in cellophane and then aluminum foil and freeze them. Allow them to thaw at room temperature. Or bake them the day before you’ll frost the cake, and keep them in the refrigerator wrapped tightly in a double layer of cellophane. You may make the entire cake up to three days before you will serve it. I almost always bake the cakes day one, frost them day two, and serve them day two or day three. The cake will keep after it is frosted for about three days.

• Frosting a chilled cake is much easier than frosting one at room temperature, as the texture of the cake is firmer.

Ganache Tips

• If you overchill the ganache, let it come towards room temperature. It is best to pay attention during its initial cooling process, as it will have a creamier appearance and mouthfeel if you don’t overchill it. Don’t fret. It’s delicious even if it gets a bit too chilly. It will just look a bit drier on the finished cake.

• If you’re new to frosting or you want an especially smooth finished cake, smear a thin layer of ganache onto the sides of the cake and place the cake in the refrigerator for half an hour. Then add a thicker layer of ganache, smoothing it or swirling it with an offset spatula or knife as you turn the cake plate.

• The cake will be lovely and delicious whether you choose an informal and haphazard swirled frosting method or a perfectly smooth finish. Don’t be intimidated by frosting. This cake is so delicious that no one will mind if its appearance is casual.

Cocoa Cake with Bittersweet Ganache
Adapted from Gourmet magazine, June, 2001
Yield: one eight-inch, three-layer cake; about 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 c. unsalted butter, softened but cool
2 c. brown sugar
4 eggs
½ c. Scharfenberger* cocoa, plus extra for dusting the cake pans
¾ c. hot water
½ c. whole milk
2 t. Kalhua* coffee liqueur (optional) (or substitute 1 t. vanilla extract)
2 c. all purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur*.)
pinch of salt
1 ¼ t. baking soda

…
21 ounces Lindt* bittersweet chocolate (white wrapper), ground in a food processor or chopped into fine slivers with a sharp knife
2 ½ c. plus 2 T. heavy cream

*I’ve listed specific brands in this recipe as I’ve made this cake dozens of times and it turns out best using these ingredients. You may substitute others if you wish, of course.

Method:
Cocoa Cake

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

• Butter three 8-inch cake pans. Line them with parchment paper, butter the paper, and then coat them evenly with cocoa powder. Tap off the excess cocoa over a garbage bin and set them aside.

• In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until they are pale and lofty.

• Add one egg at a time, beating well between additions.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, water, milk, and coffee liqueur.

• Run a fork or whisk through the flour in your bag or container. Add one cup of flour, the baking soda, and the salt to the butter and sugar mixture and beat it until it is nearly incorporated.

• Add half the cocoa liquid and beat it until it is nearly incorporated.

• Add ½ c. flour and beat gently until nearly incorporated.

• Add the remaining cocoa liquid and beat until nearly incorporated.

• Add the last ½ c. flour and beat until just incorporated.

• Divide the batter evenly between the three pans and smooth their tops with a spatula.

• Place two of the cakes on the top rack in your oven and the third on the middle rack.

• Bake for 10 minutes. Then rotate the cakes on the top rack to the middle of the oven, and the cake in the middle to the top. Bake for 10 minutes. The cakes in the middle of the oven will likely be done at this point, and the cake on the top rack will need about an additional two minutes. To check the cakes for doneness, insert a thin toothpick into the center of each cake. It should have only a moist crumb or two clinging to it. The tops of the cakes will also appear dry and spring back when pressed lightly with a fingertip. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans.

Ganache

• In a large saucepan, heat the cream until it is hot but not yet at a simmer.

• Remove the cream from the stove and stir in the chocolate until it is melted and uniformly smooth.

• Pour the ganache into a large bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Stir the ganache periodically and check its texture. It will take between one and three hours to bring it to a good spreading consistency, depending on the temperature of your refrigerator and the surface area of your bowl. When it is creamy and spreadable, frost the cake.

Frosting

• When the ganache is ready and the cakes completely cool, place a bit of ganache on the center of your cake plate. Center a cake over it, flat side up. You may tuck in strips of parchment or waxed paper around the cake so that your plate remains clean if you wish.

• Place a dollop of ganache on top of the cake, perhaps ½ cup. Spread it evenly over the top of the cake. No need to bother with the sides of the cake yet.

• Place another cake layer on top and repeat the process.

• Finish with the third layer of cake, flat side up.

• Frost the sides of the cake with a thick layer of ganache, smoothing it with an offset spatula as you turn the cake plate.

• I usually fill a pastry bag with the remaining ganache and decorate the top and base quickly, though it’s unnecessary.

• I keep this cake in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before serving, which improves its texture, or eat it straight from the refrigerator, which is also delicious.

• The cake requires no accompaniment, but barely sweetened whipped cream and ice cream are nice additions. I have divided the cake layers in half and added very thin layers of ganache between each to make a six-layer cake, and I have also added a thin layer of homemade raspberry jam or lemon or tart orange curd to the layers before adding the ganache. Delicious.

Midnight {triple chocolate} Cookies
Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients:
½ c. plus 3 T. unsalted butter, soft but cool
1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 t. good vanilla extract
1 1/3 c. all purpose flour
1/3 c. black cocoa*
½ t. baking soda
2 T. raw cacao nibs
4 oz. 70% cocoa dark chocolate, ground in a food processor
3 T. heavy cream

*Black cocoa, and other baking supplies, may be ordered here.

Method:

• In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until they are creamy.

• Add the vanilla and mix until well combined.

• Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, cacao nibs, and ground chocolate and mix gently only until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix.

• Add the cream and mix until the dough begins to come together. Do not overmix.

• Divide the dough in half and place each half on a large piece of cellophane. Wrap the cellophane over the dough and roll the dough into cylinders about 2” in diameter. Wrap the ends and refrigerate the dough until it is cold, at least one hour. The dough may be refrigerated for a couple of days at this point if you would like to bake the cookies later.

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

• Place some turbinado or other coarse sugar onto a cutting board. Roll the log in the sugar, pressing the sugar into the dough.

• With a sharp knife, cut the dough into ½“ slices and place them 2” apart onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. The cookies spread quite a bit.

• Bake the cookies in the center of your oven until they appear dry at the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. As this is a chewy cookie, the middles should be soft but not liquid.

Jacques Torres’ Chocolate Chip Cookies
By Jacques Torres, adapted from the New York Times
Yield: 20 5-inch cookies

Ingredients:
1 ¼ c. unsalted butter at room temperature
1 c. plus 2 T. sugar
1 ¼ c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 ¼ t. baking soda
1 ½ t. baking powder
1 ½ t. coarse salt (or half the amount if you only have conventional salt)
2 c. less 2 T. cake flour
1 2/3 c. bread flour
1 pound bittersweet chocolate discs or feves or 1 12 ounce bag of bittersweet chocolate morsels*

*I like Belgian Belcolade chocolate discs or Valrhona chocolate fèves, both available here. Belcolade discs are also sold through King Arthur Flour should you wish to place a baking order, as well.

*Here is a link to Jacques’ site, mrchocolate.com.

Method:

• In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and the sugars until they are light and fluffy.

• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions.

• Add the vanilla and mix well.

• Sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder, and salt across the mixture, distributing them as evenly as possible. Mix them into the dough.

• Add the flours and mix slowly until just combined.

• Gently stir in the chocolate so as not to break the pieces.

• Scrape down the dough neatly down into the mixing bowl and press cellophane directly onto it. Refrigerate the dough for 24 hours.

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

• Scoop the dough into balls just between the size of golf and tennis balls, righting any protruding chocolate discs so that they are horizontal in orientation.

• Bake them until they are pale golden brown, about 20 minutes.

• Pour a tall glass of milk and enjoy.

 

Chocolate Chocolate Cake for One
Yield: one serving, or two if you’re willing to share

Ingredients:
4 T. all purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur.)
4 T. sugar
4 T. high quality cocoa powder (We used Ghiradelli.)
1 large egg
3 T. whole milk
4 T. canola oil
½ c. high quality chocolate chunks (We used Callebaut.)
1 t. vanilla extract

Method:

• In a large mug, stir together the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder.

• Stir in the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla.

• Stir in the chocolate chunks.

• Microwave on full power for three minutes.   *If you have an especially powerful microwave, start with two minutes, perhaps, and check the cake.

Rich Hot Chocolate for a Blizzard
Yield: two servings

Ingredients:
3 ½ c. whole milk
½ c. heavy cream (I love Cedar Summit Farms.)
2 T. high quality unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T. high quality bittersweet chocolate, finely ground in a food processor or chopped
2 T. sugar

Method:

• Gently warm the milk and cream in a small saucepan over low heat.

• When it is hot, whisk in the remaining ingredients until smooth.

• Sip.

Bittersweet Chocolate Cookie Tips
Black cocoa is ultra Dutched, or alkalized.  It is used to make Oreo cookies.  It is available here.

Measure the cocoa powder by packing it into a cup measure and leveling it.

Measure the all purpose flour by running a whisk or fork through the flour, scooping it gently into a cup measure, and leveling it with a knife.

Cream of tartar acts to activate the baking soda in this recipe.  Look for it in the spice aisle.

Belgian Belcolade bittersweet chocolate discs are available here.

Bittersweet Chocolate Cookies
Yield: about three dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 ¼ c. European-style butter, softened
1 2/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 ¼ c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
1 1/3 c. black cocoa
2 c. all purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur.)
½ t. coarse salt
¼ t. baking soda
¼ t. cream of tartar
½ pound Belcolade chocolate discs or other high quality bittersweet chocolate pieces

Method:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar.

• Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.

• Add the sour cream and mix well.

• Scrape down the bowl.

• Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar and mix until incorporated.

• Stir in the chocolate discs.

• Cover the bowl with cellophane and chill it in the refrigerator, at least several hours or overnight.

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line three baking sheets with parchment paper.

• Roll the dough into balls about the size of a ping pong ball, dip them in sugar, and place them on a baking sheet about three inches apart.

• One sheet at a time, bake them for five minutes.  Then rotate the baking sheet 180 degrees and bake an additional five minutes.

White Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes
I don’t know whom to credit for this recipe. It’s online on three sites identically without any attribution. Thank you to whoever developed the recipe.
Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 c. all purpose flour (I prefer King Arthur.)
1 2/3 c. sugar
¼ t. salt
4 oz. high quality white chocolate beads or bar, cut into shards (I used E. Guittard.)
½ c. water
½ c. unsalted butter
1 c. sour cream, at room temperature
1 t. vanilla extract
1 ½ t. baking soda
2 eggs

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

• Line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners.

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.

• In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the chocolate with the butter and water. Allow it to cool slightly.

• Add the melted chocolate to the flour and mix until combined.

• Add the sour cream, vanilla, baking soda, and eggs and beat for 2 minutes.

• Divide the batter evenly into your cupcake pans and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

• Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting with Rum and Vanilla
Adapted from E. Guittard
Yield: enough to modestly frost a dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 pound high quality white chocolate beads or bar, cut into shards (I used E. Guittard.)
½ c. sour cream
1 t. dark rum
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Method:

• Place all of the ingredients into a double boiler over low heat and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

• Remove the vanilla bean, and refrigerate until it is firm, about two hours.

• Whip the frosting with an electric beater on high speed until it is fluffy and creamy.

• To frost the cupcakes, fill a pastry bag or  kitchen storage bag with the frosting.  Use any decorative tip you prefer on the pastry bag; snip off the tip of the kitchen storage bag.  Pipe a modest amount of frosting onto each cupcake in a swirling pattern, beginning at the center of the cupcake and working your way in concentric circles toward the outside.

Macaron Tips
Former pastry chef, blogger, and macaron guru Helene Dujardin of tarteletteblog.com was kind enough to email to me her authoritative article on the art of macarons.  I missed a few hints skimming the article (yes, haste makes waste), so here they are in a bullet form, which I hope will be helpful.  You may link to a macaron tutorial on her site here.

Ageing your egg whites seems to be an important step.  Separate your eggs three to four days before baking and keep them in the refrigerator.  Alternately, microwave your egg whites for about 15 to 20 seconds before using them.  We had relative success without taking this step, and I imagine our macarons will be that much closer to perfection if we use this tip when we next make them.

You can pick up an inexpensive scale for under twenty dollars at convenience stores like Target. Link

If you purchase blanched almonds rather than almond flour for this recipe, grind them in a food processor and then add the confectioners’ sugar.  Sift the mixture to ensure that there aren’t any almond pieces.

Helene recommends avoiding bargain brands of confectioners’ sugar, as they may contain higher percentages of cornstarch.

The folding is the key step in this recipe, and the challenging part.  Over mix and your macarons will flop.  Under mix and they will puff and crack and be unsightly.  Helene suggests that you begin folding rather quickly to begin to break down the mixture.  In our most successful batch, I gave perhaps ten quick strokes and then slowed dramatically.  The batter should remain fairly lofty.  As soon as it is beginning to yield and soften slightly, slow down to a stroke-by-stroke evaluation.  Helene’s test is to place a small amount on a plate, and if the top flattens by itself, it’s ready.  I found that I was still overbeating.  The tops will remain in a soft peak, but will appear like they will fall with resting.  Err on the side of under folding, and coax any little peaks down with a finger.

If you don’t have piping bags, simply use a large plastic storage bag.  Fill it, seal it,  and snip off the tip.  When you use it, twist the bag at the top and hold it tightly.  Use a little pressure at the top of the batter or ganache to pipe.

If you’re using a proper piping bag, a large tip about ½ inch in diameter is perfect for the macarons.  A small round tip works well for piping the ganache.

The macarons should peel easily from the parchment.  If they are sticking, pop them into the oven for another minute.

Macarons
From Helene Dujardin’s tarteletteblog.com
Yield: about 16 macarons

Ingredients:
100 grams aged egg whites, or about 3 ½ egg whites from large eggs
50 grams white sugar
200 grams confectioners’ sugar
110 grams almond flour or ground blanched almonds

Method:

• Place the egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until they are foamy.

• Gradually add the sugar.

• Beat until you have a glossy meringue and until the meringue doesn’t move when you invert the bowl.

• In a small bowl, stir together the confectioner’s sugar and the almond flour or ground almonds.

• Fold the almond sugar mixture into the meringue.  See tips above.

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe the batter into small rounds about 1 ½ inches in diameter about 1 to 2 inches apart.

• Tap the sheets a few times to release any air bubbles in the cookies.

• Allow the macarons to dry for an hour.  Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

• Bake the macarons for ten to twelve minutes.

• Allow them to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Then remove them from the parchment.

• When they are completely cool, pipe ganache filling onto half of the macarons and sandwich them together with the remaining macarons.

For Rose Water Macarons, add a small dribble of rose water and two drops pink food coloring to the egg whites.
For Hibiscus Macarons, add about 1 t. of ground, dried hibiscus flowers to the almond flour mixture.  You may grind the flowers using a mortar and pestle or in a dedicated coffee grinder.
For Dark Cocoa Macarons, add 3 heaping T. double Dutch dark cocoa powder to the almond flour mixture.

White Chocolate Ganache
From Helene Dujardin’s tarteletteblog.com
Yield: about enough to fill two batches of macarons

Ingredients:
1 ½ c. white chocolate (I used E. Guittard pure white chocolate.)
½ c. heavy cream (I love Cedar Summit Farms.)

Method:

• Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat.

• Add the chocolate and stir until it is melted and smooth.

• Allow the ganache to cool in the refrigerator until it is a piping consistency.

For Rose Water White Chocolate Ganache add a small dribble of rose water and one drop pink food coloring to the cream.
For Hibiscus White Chocolate Ganache add about 1 t. ground dried hibiscus flowers to the cream.

Brownie and Frosting Tips
If you are using the shaped baking cups, fill them half full with brownie batter. You may have a bit leftover. If so, bake it off in a little pan. You can cube it into ice cream later.

This frosting sets up with a lovely sheen, but only if you pour it quickly and don’t fuss with it. It will crack and wrinkle if you move it while it’s setting.

These are awfully yummy served warm straight from their little pans.  They are also nice at room temperature.

Jeannie Marose’s Brownies
Yield:  12 heart-shaped brownies or a 10×15 pan of brownies

Ingredients:
1 c. sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
4 eggs
1 can Hershey’s chocolate syrup
1 t. vanilla
¾ c. walnuts (optional)
1 c. flour
½ t. salt

Method:

• Melt the butter.

• Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined.

• Pour the batter into a 10 x 15 pan, or into disposable heart-shaped pans (available at most Target stores).

• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes if baking them in the large pan or about 15 minutes if you are baking them in the little heart-shaped pans.

Sheila Casey’s Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Yield:  enough frosting to generously frost the brownies or a cake

Ingredients:
1 c. sugar
5 T. unsalted butter
1/3 c. milk
6 ounces chocolate chips

Method:

• Combine the sugar, butter, and milk in a small saucepan.

• Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil one minute.

• Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until melted.

• Pour onto the brownies immediately and do not disturb them until the frosting is dry.

Lollipop Tips:
A double boiler is a pan of gently simmering water over which you place another pan or bowl containing food to be cooked or melted gently.  The pan should not touch the water below.   You can purchase proper double boilers that come as a nesting set, but you can also improvise your own.  Just make sure that your pan or bowl will rest on the rim of the pan of water and not drop in before you begin.

If you would like to add details to your lollipops, take a tiny paintbrush and paint in the details of the molds with a little chocolate in a contrasting color, such as dark chocolate in this case.  Colored candy melts would also work.   I don’t think they taste very good, but you won’t likely notice with such a tiny amount.

Salted Peanut White Chocolate Lollipops
Yield: 30 lollipops

Ingredients:
3 pounds white chocolate, chopped (or use white chocolate chips)
1 ½ c. salted peanuts, chopped

Equipment:
30 Lollipop molds
30 Lollipop sticks
30 Lollipop bags
30 lenths of ribbon or twist ties

Method:

• Chop the chocolate and melt it over a double boiler or in the microwave at half power for 30-second intervals, stirring between each.

• Pour the molten chocolate into a large piping bag with a plain tip, or into a large plastic bag and snip off the tip.

• Pipe the chocolate into the molds.

• Place a stick into each mold, give it a wiggle down into the chocolate, and pipe a little more chocolate on top if it isn’t completely covered.

• Give the mold a tap on the counter to settle it and to dislodge any air bubbles.

• Allow the lollipops to set at room temperature until completely firm.  Or pop into the freezer for a few minutes.

• Remove the lollipops from their molds, wrap them in lollipop bags, and tie them shut with ribbon or a twist tie.

Caramel Tips
Pay attention when you are bringing the cream to a boil.  This isn’t a good time to take a quick phone call.  It will boil up—and over—very suddenly.  Mmm hmm, I’m off to clean my stove right now.

Use a very large pan for the caramel.  When you add the chocolate and cream, the sugar will boil up, sputter, and steam.  If you have an extra long wooden spoon, use it for this recipe, too.

I use a candy thermometer for this recipe, but you don’t have to purchase one to make it.  In fact, I have made caramel for many years without one.  Have a saucer or small bowl of cold water ready at your side.  When the caramel begins to thicken, begin dropping a dab of caramel onto the saucer.  Give it a little pinch with your fingers.  It’s ready when it forms a defined but soft ball that you can squish easily. For more information on deciphering candy stages and useful videos demonstrating the appearance of each stage see The Science of Cooking’s The Cold Water Candy Test.

The original recipe suggests you cook the caramel to 255 degrees.  Rock city.  It needs to be cooked to the soft ball stage, which is a candy making notation to indicate, depending on the source, 235-245 degrees.  Under 240 degrees, this caramel is not quite firm enough.  At 242 degrees, it’s perfect.

If you’re using a candy thermometer, have a hot pad ready.  The thermometer can become quite hot.  And if your candy thermometer isn’t very tall, hold it rather than clipping it to the pan.  If the caramel burbles up over the numbers you’ll be in a pickle.

If you’re using a digital thermometer, do not clip it to the side of the pan.  The constant heat is not a happy partner for its delicate innards, and mine have gone on the fritz and then died.  Conventional candy thermometers are perfectly happy clipped to the side of the pan, and I recommend them over their high tech counterparts.

Use the best cream and chocolate you can for this recipe.  A higher butterfat content is better.  I love Cedar Summit Farms’ luxurious cream and Lindt bittersweet chocolate is extra smooth.

Do not scrape the pan with a spatula when you pour the caramel into a pan.  The caramel against the bottom and sides of the pan are hotter and will form a hard sheet in your caramel.

Dark Chocolate Caramels with Smoked Sea Salt
Adapted from Gourmet magazine
Yield:  about 100 1½“ caramels

Ingredients:
4 c. heavy cream
20 ounces excellent bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao), finely chopped
3 ½ c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
½ c. water
6 T. unsalted butter cut into tablespoons
1 T. smoked flaked sea salt  (I use Maldon brand.)

Method:

• Lightly butter a sheet pan or jelly roll pan, line it with parchment paper, and lightly butter the parchment.  Place the pan on a flat surface on one or two hot pads so it’s ready for the hot caramel.

• In a large saucepan, bring the cream to a boil over medium heat.  Turn off the heat and add the chocolate.  Allow it to rest for one minute.  Then stir the chocolate until it is smooth.

• In a very large pan, mix together the sugar, corn syrup, and water.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.

• Allow the sugar mixture to boil until it is deep amber in color.  Do not stir it during this process.

• Add the chocolate and cream to the sugar mixture and stir them together.

• Boil the caramel until it reaches 242 degrees on a candy thermometer, or until a dab dropped onto a saucer filled with cold water forms a soft but defined ball.  (See caramel tips above.)

• The caramel will begin to thicken, but the change is not as dramatic as with cream caramels.

• Turn off your stove and stir in the butter until it is completely incorporated.

• Pour the mixture quickly into the pan and tilt the pan to distribute it into an even, glossy sheet.   Allow it to set for ten minutes.

• Sprinkle it with the smoked salt and allow it to cool at room temperature.

• When the caramel has cooled, run a knife around the edge of the pan, remove it from the pan on its parchment liner, and slice it with a sharp knife into squares or rectangles.

• Wrap each caramel in a square of waxed paper and twist the ends closed.

• I store the caramels in a tin at room temperature.  They keep for a few weeks.