Thinning out a caramel filling

[pastryani]

What's the best way to thin out a caramel filling for a bonbon?  It's a passion fruit caramel, so is the best choice passion fruit purée, cream, or something else?  Just wanted to know if there's generally a better option to use.

[Jim D.]

I use cream for thinning out, but I don't see why passion fruit purée would not work. Someone on eG previously mentioned using water. Since it is the water that has evaporated during cooking, water does make sense.

[pastryani]

Thanks Jim D.  So there's something I'm struggling with: in bonbon making, everyone strives for a low water content (which will result in a longer shelf life).  So isn't adding water to the caramel counter-intuitive?  Or are caramels somehow exempt from the water content rule?

[pastrygirl]

Caramels have so much sugar, they may be exempt. 

[Lisa Shock]

You may wish to try corn syrup or agave syrup or somesuch.

[Jim D.]

10 hours ago, pastryani said:

Thanks Jim D.  So there's something I'm struggling with: in bonbon making, everyone strives for a low water content (which will result in a longer shelf life).  So isn't adding water to the caramel counter-intuitive?  Or are caramels somehow exempt from the water content rule?

The last time I tested a plain caramel (Notter's recipe, intended to be piped into molds), the water activity reading was 0.56. As I think is the case with pâte de fruit, the sugar more than counteracts any water present. With an Aw of 0.56, the product can last for practically forever. And I think one can rely on getting a reading in this neighborhood since a caramel doesn't form until a certain percentage of liquid has evaporated. So if you add more liquid, you have to cook the mixture until it reaches that magic point once again. That's why I have sometimes found it convenient to make larger batches of caramel and then reheat any leftovers to use on another occasion (how's that for tempting the caramel gods--who can be as fickle as the chocolate deities!).

[Bentley]

I regulate the consistency of caramels by the temperature to which I cook it.  For example, I do a salted caramel square which is poured into a frame, cut and enrobed.  I also do a molded bonbon filled with a salted caramel.  The recipes for each are identical but I cook the one for the bonbon to a lower temperature to keep a bit more moisture in it.  That allows a consistency where the caramel is firm enough to cap but soft enough to not be really chewy.  It doesn't spill out of the bonbon when you take a bite.