Habanero caramels

[Quesmoy]

I am thinking about experimenting making habanero caramels, since I just got a new habanero infused sea salt.  I'm wondering if I just use the salt the same way I do in my Fleur de Sel caramels, or if I should try to incorporate a habanero oil too?  If I go with the habanero oil, at what point would it be best to add it, to the sugar while caramelizing, to the cream and butter as I am heating it up, as I add the cream to the sugar, or once taken off the heat and right before I pour it out?

[ChocoMom]

I've not tried that with caramel before, but I've done the habanero truffle- infusing the habanero (seeds and all) into the HWC, then adding to the chocolate. That method provides enough heat to be reckoned with. :+)

For a caramel, my inclination would be similar to the truffle idea, and I'd try infusing habaneros into the dairy portion- then strain it into your pot with the caramel, and proceed from there. 

 

One lesson I learned with messing around with those peppers, and infusing into hot liquids is to wear some eye protection when you take the lid off the pot. Damn near burned my eyeballs right out of the sockets!

 

Hope that helps!

 

Andrea

[Shalmanese]

It doesn't matter. All of them will work. You should be chiefly concerned with getting the right dose of habanero in there as it's so strong that it's extremely easy for it to become overwhelming.

[kitt]

I have successfully made habanero caramels several times by using the ground pepper powder rather than fresh peppers and they have been excellent. The pepper was added with the butter and cream for the final cook.