Chocolate Covered Red Stag Caramels Recipes

CHOCOLATE COVERED CARAMELS

Steps:

• Grease an 8 x 8 inch square pan.
• In a heavy 4 quart saucepan melt butter over medium heat; add brown sugar, corn syrup and milk. Stirring constantly, heat to 242 to 248 degrees F (116 to 120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour into prepared pan.
• When caramel has cooled and set, cut into 1 inch squares. Chill in refrigerator until firm.
• Melt chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave. Stir until smooth.
• Dip caramel squares in chocolate and place on wax paper to cool.

CHOCOLATE COVERED CARAMELS

Steps:

• Unwrap the caramels and place the unwrapped caramels on a dinner plate covered in waxed paper.
• Break wooden skewers into 4 or 5 pieces each (or use round toothpicks or those little plastic swards often used for drinks) and insert a small piece of the skewer into each caramel (to create a small lollypop type appearance).
• Measure out the chocolate wafers, put chocolate into small ramekin microwavable cups.
• Microwave on low (I use power 5 or 6) for 10 to 15 seconds at a time, stirring often to ensure the chocolate does not burn.
• Since you are only covering 8 caramels in chocolate, to make sure the chocolate does not harden, fill a cereal or soup bowl with a small amount of hot tap water; place the ramekin with the melted chocolate in the bowl of water so the warm water surrounds the ramekin - be careful not to get any water in the melted chocolate.
• Pick up the caramel by its stick and dip into the chocolate; spread the chocolate onto the surface of the caramel (I used a small pickle fork to do this).
• Immediately dip the chocolate covered caramel into your desired toppings - Note the chocolate hardens very quickly once on the caramel.
• Place the decorated chocolate caramel back onto the dinner plate so the chocolate can fully harden.
• Repeat this process with all caramels; once finished store the chocolate covered caramels in a sealed container or wrap individually in plastic wrap for gifts.
• IDEA - S'more caramel; cut mini marshmallows in half, cover caramel with dark or milk chocolate, immediately place the cut marshmallows onto the chocolate surface of the caramel, let dry, spread a small amount of white chocolate onto each marshmallow and immediately dip in graham wafer crumbs.

HOMEMADE CARAMELS WITH DARK CHOCOLATE AND SEA SALT

Steps:

• Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Combine white sugar, 1/2 cup cream, light corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup cream. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 242 degrees (117 degrees C), or until a small amount of the caramel mixture forms a firm yet pliable ball when dropped in cold water. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.
• Pour caramel mixture into baking pan. Allow to cool slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
• Remove baking pan from the fridge and allow caramel mixture to warm up slightly, about 30 minutes. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Combine dark and semisweet chocolate chips with shortening in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Cut caramel into 1-inch squares. Dip caramel squares in melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Place on lined baking sheet; sprinkle with sea salt. Chill until hardened, about 1 hour.