Bon Appetit Desserts (178 page)

A southern delicacy dating back to the mid-1700s, pralines (pronounced
prah-leens)
are an addictive mix of pecans, brown sugar, butter, and milk. Unlike other candies, their texture is meant to be somewhat grainy and sugary. For less molasses and more caramel flavor, use golden brown sugar in place of the dark brown.
Makes about 24

1½ cups sugar

¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (or more) canned evaporated milk

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups pecan halves, toasted

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper. Butter paper. Stir both sugars and ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Continue cooking over medium heat until thermometer registers 240°F, stirring constantly but slowly, about 5 minutes. Add butter and vanilla; stir until thermometer registers 240°F, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add nuts and stir until mixture is creamy, about 1 minute.

Working quickly, drop mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheets (if candy mixture begins to set in saucepan, add 2 tablespoons evaporated milk and stir over medium heat until softened). Let candies stand until firm, about 30 minutes. Peel candies off waxed paper.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store pralines in airtight container at room temperature.

Coffee-Spice Caramels

Before the cream becomes caramel, it’s steeped in a fragrant mix of coffee, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The caramels are great on their own—but they’re even better with a chocolate coating.
Makes about 42

2 cups (about) heavy whipping cream, divided

⅓ cup (packed) freshly ground (medium-grind) coffee

20 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick, cut into small pieces

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1½ cups sugar

¼ cup light corn syrup

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), chopped

42 (about) paper candy cups

Line 8×8×2-inch metal baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving overhang. Generously butter foil. Bring 1¼ cups cream, coffee, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg to boil in heavy 2½-quart saucepan. Remove pan from heat. Cover and let steep 30 minutes.

Return mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Strain through fine sieve into measuring cup, pressing with back of spoon to extract all liquid. Add enough additional cream to measure 1½ cups. Return mixture to same saucepan. Add sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat to medium and bring to boil, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Boil over medium heat until candy thermometer registers 242°F, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Pour into prepared baking pan (do not scrape saucepan). Cool caramel mixture until firm enough to cut, about 2 hours.

Line baking sheet with waxed paper. Using foil as aid, lift caramel from pan. Fold down foil sides. Using buttered heavy large knife, cut caramel into 1×1¼-inch rectangles. Transfer to prepared sheet, reshaping caramel into rectangles if necessary. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper. Melt bittersweet chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until candy thermometer registers 115°F. Remove from over water. Working quickly, submerge 1 caramel in chocolate. Using dinner fork, lift out caramel. Tap bottom of fork on sides of pan, allowing excess chocolate to drip back into pan. Using small knife, push caramel off fork and onto prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining caramels, setting double boiler over hot water occasionally to rewarm chocolate as needed. Refrigerate candies until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.

Stir milk chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Immediately transfer to parchment cone or small resealable plastic bag; cut off tip. Pipe chocolate in diagonal spiral pattern on surface of each caramel. Refrigerate until firm. Transfer to paper candy cups.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 4 days ahead. Refrigerate in airtight container. Let caramels come to room temperature before serving.

Homemade Marshmallows

Originally, marshmallows were thickened with the extract from the root of the marshmallow plant. Gelatin replaces the extract in modern recipes. These are sweet, creamy, almost delicate—a world away from stiff supermarket marshmallows. Float them in a cup of hot chocolate, use them as the centerpiece for s’mores, or stir them into homemade rocky road (like the one on page 622). You can also make them in crazy colors and shapes. Just add a few drops of food coloring along with the vanilla, and cut the marshmallows with lightly oiled cookie cutters. This recipe calls for potato starch (sometimes called potato starch flour), a thickener made from the starch of potatoes but with no discernible flavor. It can be found at most supermarkets, often in the kosher section.
Makes about 24

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup cold water, divided

3 ¼-ounce envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 cups sugar

⅔ cup light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup potato starch

½ cup powdered sugar

Line 13×9×2-inch metal baking pan with aluminum foil. Coat foil lightly with nonstick spray.

Pour ½ cup cold water into bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand until gelatin softens and absorbs water, at least 15 minutes.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining ½ cup cold water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush. Attach clip-on candy thermometer to side of pan. Increase heat and bring syrup to boil. Boil without stirring until thermometer registers 240°F, about 8 minutes.

With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour hot syrup into gelatin mixture in thin stream down side of bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto whisk, as it may splash). Gradually increase speed to high and beat until mixture is very thick and stiff, about 15 minutes. Add vanilla and beat to blend, about 30 seconds longer.

Scrape marshmallow mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top with wet spatula. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until firm, about 4 hours.

Stir potato starch and powdered sugar in small bowl to blend. Sift generous dusting of starch-sugar mixture onto work surface, forming rectangle slightly larger than 13×9 inches. Turn marshmallow slab out onto starch-sugar mixture; peel off foil. Sift more starch-sugar mixture over marshmallow slab. Coat large sharp knife with nonstick spray. Cut marshmallows into squares. Toss each in remaining starch-sugar mixture to coat. Transfer marshmallows to rack, shaking off excess mixture.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store marshmallows in airtight container at room temperature.

Cranberry and Tart Apple Gelées

Gelées
are jellied candies flavored with fruit (in this case, cranberries and Granny Smith apples). Together, the deep red and bright green candies make a gorgeous homemade gift for Christmas. In France these popular sugar-coated gems are known as
pâte de fruits,
or fruit pastes. Because pan sizes vary widely, you may get as many as 128 gelées from this recipe.
Makes about 100

1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries

2½ cups sugar

2 cups coarsely chopped cored unpeeled Granny Smith apples

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel

12 whole cloves

2 3-ounce packages liquid pectin

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

5 cups coarsely chopped cored unpeeled Granny Smith apples

2½ cups sugar

1 cup fresh apple juice

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

2 3-ounce packages liquid pectin

Green and yellow food coloring

1 cup coarse white sparkling sugar or regular sugar

CRANBERRY GELÉES
: Wipe 8×8×2-inch glass baking dish with damp cloth. Line dish with plastic wrap, pressing to adhere. Place small plate in freezer.

Mix cranberries, sugar, apples, orange juice, butter, orange peel, and whole cloves in heavy large saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until fruit is very tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree mixture in blender until smooth.