Caramel Nut Crunch Recipes

CARAMEL CRUNCH

Steps:

• Make the caramel crunch: Line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water; mixture should look like wet sand. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until sugar is dark amber in color. Immediately pour caramel onto prepared baking sheet; let cool completely.
• Crack cooled caramel into large pieces and place in a resealable plastic bag. Crush into tiny pieces using a rolling pin; you should have a scant 1/2 cup of caramel crunch.

CARAMEL MACADAMIA NUT CRUNCH

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a baking sheet, preferably rimmed.
• 2. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Heat over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan and continue to simmer, allowing steam from cooking mixture to wash down the sides of the pan. Remove cover and continue to simmer until the mixture turns golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Immediately remove from the stove, and, to avoid mixture bubbling over, carefully pour cream in a slow, steady stream into the pan; do not stir. Return the pot to the stove, reduce heat to low, and, using a wooden spoon, gently stir mixture until cream is completely incorporated.
• 3. Transfer the caramel to a medium heat-proof bowl, add the nuts, and stir to coat the nuts evenly. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet, spreading it evenly, and bake until dark brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the brittle to room temperature and chop mixture coarsely using a food processor, a cleaver or by hand.
• 4. Cut the log into twenty 1/2-inch rounds, press one cut side of each round into the brittle, and arrange the rounds 2 inches apart on all sides on a parchment-lined or nonstick cookie sheet or sheets.
• 5. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cookies with a spatula and cool on a wire rack.

MY TRADEMARK, MOST REQUESTED, ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT CARAMEL MATZOH CRUNCH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large (or two smaller) cookie sheet completely with foil. Cover the bottom of the sheet with baking parchment - on top of the foil. This is very important since the mixture becomes sticky during baking.
• Line the bottom of the cookie sheet evenly with the matzohs, cutting extra pieces, as required, to fit any spaces.
• In a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter or margarine and the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil (about 2 to 4 minutes). Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and pour over the matzoh, covering completely.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350°. Bake for 15 minutes, checking every few minutes to make sure the mixture is not burning (if it seems to be browning too quickly, remove the pan from the oven, lower the heat to 325°, and replace the pan).
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle immediately with the chopped chocolate or chips. Let stand for 5 minutes, then spread the melted chocolate over the matzoh. While still warm, break into squares or odd shapes. Chill, still in the pan, in the freezer until set.
• This makes a good gift.
• Variation:
• You can also use coarsely chopped white chocolate (or a combination of white and dark), and chopped or slivered toasted almonds (sprinkled on top as the chocolate sets). You can also omit the chocolate for a caramel-alone buttercrunch.

CARAMEL NUT CRUNCH

Steps:

• 1. Roast the nuts first to bring out the flavor. In a pan, cook over medium heat until they start to give off a scent.
• 2. Place the sugar in a nonstick pan and cook over high heat until it starts to melt. If necessary, add a bit of water to help.
• 3. Turn the heat down to medium low and continue to cook until the sugar turns a deep rich brown color. Add all the nuts and mix well. Cook for a few minutes, making sure the nuts are fully coated.
• 4. Remove from heat and quickly spread the hot mixture onto a cookie mat or an oiled sheet of foil to the desired thickness (I liked it about 1/2 an inch thick) Let cool for half an hour before breaking into smaller pieces.
• 5. Different sugars can be used the cheapest regular white sugar, brown sugar, to name a few. You can experiment with them.