Orange Caramel Nut Sundaes Recipes

SALTED CARAMEL SUNDAE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the peanuts on a sheet pan and roast for 7 minutes, until they become fragrant. Pour into a medium bowl, add the popcorn, and set aside. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Place the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium (10-inch) saute pan and mix with a fork until all the sugar is moistened. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves--from this point on, don't stir the caramel, swirl the pan! (Don't worry if the mixture looks as though it's crystallizing.)
• Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan constantly at the end. (Be careful, the caramel is very hot!) Off the heat, quickly add the corn syrup and vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan), add the popcorn and nut mixture plus the kosher salt and toss with two large spoons until the popcorn and nuts are completely coated.
• Pour the mixture plus any extra caramel in the pan onto the prepared sheet pan and spread the mixture out in one layer, pulling it apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When it's completely cooled, carefully break into large clusters with your hands.
• To serve, pour puddles of Chocolate Sauce into shallow bowls. For each serving, place 3 small scoops of gelato on the chocolate sauce, sprinkle with some of the caramelized popcorn, and add a dollop of the Sweetened Whipped Cream in the middle. Serve immediately.
• Place the chocolate, cream, corn syrup, and coffee in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Be sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Serve warm.
• Pour the cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until the cream forms soft peaks.

ORANGE-CARAMEL NUT SUNDAES

Steps:

• Remove orange peel with vegetable peeler. Cut enough peel into very fine strips to measure 2 tablespoons. Transfer strips to heavy medium saucepan. Add sugar, juice and butter. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil gently until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Cool sauce to lukewarm. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover sauce and oranges separately and chill. Reheat sauce to lukewarm before using.)
• Cut white pith from oranges. Slice oranges into rounds; cut rounds into quarters. Scoop frozen yogurt into large wineglasses. Drizzle sauce over. Top with oranges and hazelnuts and serve.

MEXICAN CARAMEL SUNDAES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan, warm caramel sauce over low heat and season with cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet and brush liberally with melted butter. Sprinkle each tortilla with sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and bake until crispy and sugar has melted on the tortillas, 5 minutes. Remove tortillas from oven, let cool to harden and break into large, uneven pieces. Arrange the pieces of 1 tortilla in a sundae dish or on a dessert plate. Top with 2 large scoops ice cream. Drizzle the warm caramel sauce over each sundae using a spatula or wooden spoon. Top each sundae with whipped cream swirls and Spanish peanuts.

ORANGE CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until deep amber color, occasionally brushing down pan sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes.
• Carefully add orange juice and orange peel (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over low heat until smooth and any caramel bits dissolve. Cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

CARAMEL PECAN SUNDAES

Steps:

• For the caramel, mix 1/3 cup water and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook, without stirring, over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and boil uncovered until the sugar turns a warm chestnut brown (about 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer), 5 to 7 minutes, gently swirling the pan to stir the mixture. Be careful; the mixture is extremely hot! Watch the mixture constantly at the end, as it will go from caramel to burnt very quickly. Turn off the heat. Stand back to avoid splattering and slowly add the cream and vanilla. The cream will bubble violently and the caramel will solidify; don't worry. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the caramel dissolves and the sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours. It will thicken as it sits.
• To assemble the sundaes, place 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream and 1 scoop of butter pecan ice cream in each dish and sprinkle with toasted pecans. Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve extra sauce on the side.

CREAMY ORANGE CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line an 11x7-in. dish with foil, letting ends extend over sides by 1 in.; grease foil with 1 teaspoon butter., In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and remaining butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; boil gently, without stirring, for 4 minutes., Remove from the heat; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 244° (firm-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in extracts. Immediately pour into prepared dish (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm., Using foil, lift out candy; remove foil. Using a buttered knife, cut caramel into scant 1-1/2x1-in. pieces. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.