Dyann Bakes

Sat, 27 October 2007

Caramel-Coated Apples, a Halloween Special!

Everything's ready! The pumpkin is carved, the costumes are made, and the yard is looking absolutely frightful. All that's missing from this Halloween scene is something sweet. How about gooey-chewy-sweet-n-crunchy caramel apples?

If you have a tip or a comment about this episode, click here and let us know, we'd love to hear from you.

Download the recipe as a PDF file

1 1-pound box dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dark molasses
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 chopsticks
12 medium Granny Smith apples
Assorted decorations (such as chopped nuts, toffee bits, mini M&M's, crushed cookies, shredded coconut) Melted dark, milk and/or white chocolate Whipping cream (if necessary)

Combine first 8 ingredients in heavy 2 1/2-quart saucepan (about 3 inches deep). Stir with wooden spatula or spoon over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves (no crystals are felt when caramel is rubbed between fingers), about 15 minutes.
Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook caramel at rolling boil until thermometer registers 236°F, stirring constantly but slowly with clean wooden spatula, about 12 minutes. Pour caramel into a bowl and do not scrap the bottom of the pan. Submerge thermometer bulb in caramel; cool, without stirring, to 200°F, about 15-20 minutes.
While caramel cools, line 2 baking sheets with buttered foil or a Silpat. Push 1 chopstick into stem end of each apple. Set up decorations and melted chocolate.
Holding the chopstick, dip 1 apple into 200°F caramel, submerging all but very top of apple. Lift apple out, allowing excess caramel to drip back into bowl. Turn apple caramel side up and hold for several seconds to help set caramel around apple. Place coated apple on prepared sheetpan. Repeat with remaining apples and caramel, spacing apples apart (caramel will pool on the bottom). If caramel becomes too thick to dip into, add 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream and briefly whisk caramel in bowl over low heat to thin.
Chill apples on sheets until caramel is partially set, about 15 minutes. Lift 1 apple off off prepared pan. Using your hand, press pooled caramel around apple; return to sheet pan. Repeat with remaining apples
Firmly press decorations into caramel or dip caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off, and then roll in nuts or candy.
Chill until decorations are set, about 1 hour. Cover; chill up to 1 week.

Direct download: 102707Caramel_Apple_iPod_LONG.mp4
Category:sweet -- posted at: 1:21 PM

Comments[1497]

Thu, 22 March 2007

Chocolate Fudge!

Invented in the United States over 100 years ago, this classic confection is made by boiling sugar in milk or cream to the soft-ball stage, and then beating the mixture while it cools to acquire a smooth creamy consistency. Extremely rich and always delicious, fudge makes a great homemade gift to share with family and friends.

If you have a tip or a comment about this episode, click here and let us know, we'd love to hear from you.

Download the recipe as a PDF file

3 cups granulated sugar
10 fluid ounces of half and half
2 1/2 ounces of light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
7 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil so that the foil extends 2 inches beyond the sides of the pan. Lightly butter the bottom and sides.
In a heavy saucepan add the sugar, half-and-half, and corn syrup. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook the mixture over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved. Do not let the mixture boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chocolate and salt, and stir until completely smooth.
Return the pan to the heat and insert a candy thermometer, taking care that it does not touch the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-low heat. Cook the syrup without stirring until the thermometer registers 234 degrees (soft ball stage). If necessary, adjust the heat to low; the surface of the syrup must boil evenly and gently to avoid scorching the fudge. Carefully take the pan off the heat and remove the candy thermometer. Immediately wash the thermometer in hot water.
To cool the fudge, drizzle and evenly distribute cold water on a marble slab or an inverted sheet pan set on a wire rack. Holding the saucepan containing the hot fudge close to the surface of the marble/sheetpan, slowly pour the fudge on to the surface. Do not scrape out the fudge that clings to the bottom and sides of the pan. Evenly distribute the butter cubes on the surface of the fudge, and allow them to melt.
Using a bench scraper, manipulate the fudge across the surface of the marble/sheetpan until the butter is completely incorporated. Spread the fudge out on the marble/sheetpan and sprinkle the vanilla on the surface. Work in the vanilla until it is incorporated. If adding nuts, sprinkle into mixture at this point. Continue cooling the fudge, working it until it loses it’s shine the surface becomes dull. The fudge will become sticky and more difficult to move across the work surface as it cools.
Once the fudge has thickened and is dull in appearance, transfer it to the prepared pan. Smooth the fudge into the corners of the pan, and allow it to rest for at least 2 hours before serving.
Cut into bit-sized pieces and enjoy!

Direct download: 032007DyannBakesFudge.mp4
Category:sweet -- posted at: 1:55 AM

Comments[1294]