Mr. Joe's Vanilla Caramel Chocolate Nut Bars

I've never made homemade candy because I always thought it was too much trouble, Having to use a candy thermometer and worrying about things like soft ball stage and hard crack stage sounded too complicated. And I dreaded the messy clean-up involved. But after a few experiments with making homemade caramel for ice cream and sauces I decided to try making a caramel based candy. I made these Vanilla Caramel Chocolate Nut Bars using vanilla sugar (see note) and vanilla extract.


I looked at different recipes from many sources but my primary inspiration came from Baking Out Loud by Hedy Goldsmith. A great book if you want to make delicious sweet desserts and treats. I borrowed some of the caramel techniques from Martha and Ina. It seems every cook has there own way of making caramel.

I made these candies using what ever I had in the pantry so I used milk chocolate and white chocolate chips instead of bulk chocolate instead of bulk chocolate that I chopped.

Note - Vanilla Sugar is regular granulated sugar that has been stored with a vanilla bean. The flavors of the bean are absorbed by the sugar.After cutting open a vanilla bean and using the beans don't discard the pod. Place it in a large airtight canister filled with granulated sugar. The essence of vanilla will flavor the sugar and you can use it in baking and in your morning coffee.  I learned this tip from Alton Brown's Good Eats on the Food Network. I always keep some vanilla sugar in my pantry.

Here is the recipe for Mr. Joe's Vanilla Caramel Chocolate Nut Bars

Supplies
8 x 4 or 9 x 5 Loaf Pan
Parchment Paper or non-stick foil
Large Saucepan w lid
Double boiler or Small sauce pan and heat proof bowl
Cooking Spray
Spatula
Offset Spatula
Wood Spoon
Measuring cups - Liquid and Dry
Measuring Spoons
Plastic Wrap
Airtight Container

Ingredients
8 to 10 Ounces of Chopped Milk Chocolate or Milk Chocolate Chips
6 Ounces of Chopped White Chocolate or White Chocolate Chips
1 cup shelled, salted Peanuts
3/4 Vanilla Sugar or Regular Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 cup water.

1.) Line the loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray

2.) Melt 4 to 5 ounces of Milk Chocolate in the double boiler or in a small heat proof bowl over a small sauce pan of simmering water.

3.) Spread the melted Milk Chocolate evenly in the bottom of the loaf pan. Cover with plastic-wrap and place in the freezer to firm for 15 minutes.

4.) Add the 3/4 cups of sugar and 1/4 cup water to the large sauce pan. Heat over medium heat with the lid on for about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir occasional (gently - don't cause sugar to build up on sides of pan). Heat until sugar is dissolved and liquid is clear. (Note-the lid on the saucepan allows condensation to form which drips down the side of the pan and prevents crystallization)

5.) Liquid will begin to turn color. Gently swirl pan as caramel cooks to even out color. When caramel reaches a dark amber color remove from stove - CAUTION - THIS IS VERY HOT

6.) Gently pour in cold heavy cream - CAUTION - caramel will bubble up and sputter. I wear my heat protecting BBQ gloves to prevent any hot caramel from splattering on my arms. Gently stir to distribute cream. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 6 ounces of white chocolate to hot caramel. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted.

7.) Stir in salted peanuts. Let mixture stand and cool 5 minutes.

8.) Use a spatula to pour caramel mixture on top of chocolate in loaf pan. Spread layer out evenly and smooth top. Recover with plastic and freeze for 30 minutes.

9.) Melt remaining 4 to 5 ounces of Milk Chocolate and pour over top of caramel peanut layer. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the top. Return to refrigerator and freezer until chocolate is completely hardened - about 1 hour.

10.) Lift parchment paper out of loaf pan and peel away. Place candy brick on cutting board and cut into bite size chunks. Place in airtight container. Store in refrigerator. Best to eat at room temperature so caramel is chewy. Will keep about 5 days (like this will last that long!)

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I have continued to experiment with ice cream recipes all summer. A friend told me their favorite flavor was Mint Chocolate Chip so, even though I don't like the combination of mint and chocolate (I ate too many thin mints as a kid I guess) I decided to research recipes and make a batch.

I served the ice cream at a summer Bar-B Que and it was a big hit.

Supplies - For Ice Cream
Ice Cream Maker
Large Bowl for ice bath
Medium Bowl for chilling mix - if you have a heat proof large measuring bowl with pouring spout this would be ideal
Medium Bowl for mixing eggs
Medium Saucepan-non reactive
Small Saucepan
4 oz Ladle
2 Spatulas or Wooden Spoons.
Fine Mesh Sieve
Whisk
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Cooking Thermometer

Supplies - For Chocolate (optional - see below)
Small Saucepan or Double Boiler
Sheet Tray
Parchment Paper
Offset Spatula

Ingredients
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup Whole Milk (plus a little more)
5 Large Egg Yolks
Fresh Mint
Mint Extract (optional)
1/2 cup sugar - divided in half - 2 1/4 cups
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Blue Food Color - optional
Green Food Color - optional
6 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate Chips or bulk chocolate
2 tsp Canola oil

The Ice Cream Base
1.) Put the Ice Cream makers inner canister in the freezer

2.) Place approximately 30 fresh mint leaves in a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of whole milk plus a little more. Heat over low heat until milk begins to simmer. Don't let temperature of milk exceed 170 degrees.

3.) Turn off heat and allow mint leaves to steep in milk for 30 minutes. Use the fine mesh strainer to pour off one cup of milk into a measuring cup. Milk may have a slightly green tint. Use the back of a wooden spoon to press milk out of leaves to have a full cup. Discard mint leaves and rinse strainer.

4.) Fill the large bowl with Ice and water to create an ice bath. Put the medium bowl into the bath so it chills. Don't get water in the medium bowl.

5.) In the other medium bowl whisk together the 5 egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar until sugar is dissolved and egg yolks are broken up. Use a dish towel to create a cradle for the bowl with egg yolks so you can whisk and add ingredients at the same time without having to hold the bowl.

6.) In non-reactive medium saucepan add two cups of heavy cream, 1 cup of the mint infused milk, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. heat over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer, stirring occasional with spatula or wooden spoon so sugar is dissolved. Don't let temperature of cream/milk mixture exceed 170 degrees. When mixture is simmering reduce heat to medium low.

7.) Temper the egg/sugar mixture by scooping 4 ounces of heated cream with the ladle and gently pouring it into the egg yolks while whisking the eggs. Repeat this with another 4 ounces of the heated cream. This allows the eggs to heat up without cooking them into solids.

8.) Take the combined cream and egg mixture you just created and pour it back into the saucepan with the remaining heated cream/milk mixture. Gently stir this mixture over medium low heat with a wooden spoon or spatula for about two minutes. You will know the mixture is ready if you wipe your finger along the spoon or spatula and a clear line is created.

9.) Pour the contents of the saucepan into the medium bowl sitting in the ice bath. Using a clean spoon gently stir this mixture until it cools. Once the mixture is about 70 degrees cover the mixture with plastic and put it in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours, but overnight is fine.

Chocolate Chips
There are two ways to prepare the chocolate for your mint chocolate chip ice cream. The first way add the chips directly to the ice cream. These chips will have a "snap" or "crunch" to them and add texture to your ice cream. The second way prepares the chocolate so the chips will have a smooth "melty" texture and will melt in your mouth as you eat your Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.

Direct:
1.) Take 6 ounces of good bittersweet chocolate - I use Ghiradelli Chips. You can use chips or bulk chocolate bar. Using a serrated knife chop chocolate into small bits. It's ok to have different size pieces but don't have any really big chunks.
2.) put chopped chocolate in a small bowl and chill in the refrigerator.

Prepared:
1.) Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper

2.) In a double boiler or in a small bowl over a saucepan with about an inch of boiling water in it melt the 6 ounces of Bittersweet Chocolate. Stir in the 2 teaspoons of Canola oil until blended

3.) Pour the chocolate out on to the parchment lined sheet pan and spread into a thin even layer with an offset spatula.

4.) Put sheet pan in refrigerator or freezer until its hardened. Approximately 20-30 minutes.

5.) When the chocolate is hard remove from the refrigerator or freezer and start lifting pieces off the parchment and breaking them into bits and shards whatever size you like. Work quickly because the heat from your hands will start to melt the chocolate. If the chocolate begins to soften just put it back in the refrigerator.

6.) Put the broken bits into a bowl and store in the refrigerator until ready to make the ice cream.

Making The Ice Cream
1.) remove the cream mixture from the refrigerator. Stir and give a little taste. If you would like to augment the mint flavor add some Mint Extract anywhere from 1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons depending on how "Minty" you like your ice cream

2.) Put your ice cream make together according to instructions.

3.) Pour your cream mixture into the ice cream maker and turn it on. If you like your Ice Cream looking natural then do not add food color. If you want your ice cream to have a minty green tint add three drops of green food color and three drops of blue food color. If you are making the ice cream with children its fun to let them do this and watch as the color slowly swirls and incorporates into the base.

4.) Churn the ice cream according to the machines instructions - typically 25-30 minutes.

5.) The ice cream is done. It will have soft serve consistency so it recommended that you transfer the ice cream to a bowl (pre-chill the bowl in the freezer) cover and chill for ate least 3-4 hours for a nice firm texture.

If you are making lots of ice cream you can order handy pint sized and quart sized cardboard ice cream containers from Amazon.