18 hours ago, Jim D. said:I was thinking of you when I made the caramel again (I think we keep that Vermont apple cider mill in business by buying their jelly). This time I made 84 pieces, and not a single one leaked. I cooked the caramel to a higher temp (about 240F) than I do other caramels. I heated the tops slightly before pouring on the chocolate to close them. I left the finished pieces sitting upside down for a day (on the questionable theory that more time would help the caramel set), then left them right side up to test them. One or more of those ideas may have worked--or it may just have been that the caramel gods gave me a good day.
I had a BUNCH of leaky ones last time I made it, but admittedly, I had not done any chocolates in a while, so user error was a distinct possibility. I have noted that that recipe does tend to sometimes get a bit oily, so when I made some caramels (not in chocolate) for a gift last night, I used the French caramel recipe I had from Las Vegas, using the apple jelly (warmed so it wasn't chunky) in place of the fruit puree. The flavor was very similar to my original, but with more creamy flavor and great texture, and the final product, although firmer than I would use in molded chocolates, was not at all greasy on the outside. I think I may play with cooking that recipe to a lower temp (current recipe is 118C/244F) to get something pipeable that would remain at least very soft and possibly slightly fluid in the bon bon. I'll let you know how it goes.
If anyone out there has used the recipe I am talking about, the French one that has a small amount of cocoa butter, in molded chocolates, what temp do you take it to and how were your results?
