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Chocolate Stout Covered Beer Caramels

You aren’t always aware of the nexus of a true obsession. It may only be in hind sight that the catalyst is revealed upon agonizing inspection of your past. For me, however, the spark was breathtaking, an obvious birth of a fixation that lead to this blog. That trigger was Bison Honey Basil Ale. A beer that begged to be turned into Beer Creme Brulee, my first post.

If you enjoy this little blog that I have, and are as fascinated as I am with turning beer into chewable treats, you don’t have me to thank, you owe the lovely folks at Bison Brewery a debt of gratitude. As do I, or course.

For this post, I used Bison Chocolate Stout, an excellent example of the genre.

Chocolate Stout Covered Beer Caramels

Ingredients
  

For The Caramels:

  • 12 oz bottle low hop Pale or Amber ale divided
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup corn syrup

For the Chocolate:

  • 1 1/2 cups 60% dark chocolate
  • 1/4 cup Chocolate Stout
  • 1 tsp flakey sea salt optional

Instructions
 

  • In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, add 1 cup beer (reserve the remaining beer). Allow beer to boil and reduce until thick and syrupy and only about 1 tsp remains, about 20 minutes. Set aside. (Note: if you want a lower level of beer taste, skip this step and substitute the "extract" you have just made with 1 tsp of vanilla extract in the later step that calls for the beer extract)
  • Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, making sure the paper goes up and over the sides of the pan, set aside.
  • In a large sauce pan over high heat add both sugars, butter, cream, corn syrup and remaining 1/2 cup beer. Stir until butter has melted and then stop stirring while the candy boils (you can occasionally swirl the pan), clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot, taking care that the tip doesn't touch the bottom. Allow to boil untouched until the liquid reaches 244 degrees. The caramel will reach 200 degrees rather quickly,but will take 15-20 minutes to reach 244. The last few degrees climb quickly so stay close to your pot.
  • Once the caramel has reached 244, remove from heat. Add the reduced beer "extract" that you have set aside and stir until the bubbling has subsided. Pour it into prepared loaf pan, allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares.
  • In the top of a double boiler add the chocolate and the stout, stir over low heat until melted and creamy, about 5 minutes. Don't over heat or your chocolate will seize.
  • One at a time, place the squares into the chocolate with a fork. Roll around until covered, remove and add to a piece of wax paper, sprinkle with sea salt if desired. Once the squares been covered in chocolate transfer the to the refrigerator, repeat with remaining caramel. Chill until set, about 10 minutes.
  • Keep refrigerated.

 

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Comments


Maggie May 29, 2012 um 5:50 pm

Why do you say these have to be refrigerated? They seem PERFECT for gift-giving, but the refrigeration caveat makes that much trickier.

Reply

The Beeroness May 29, 2012 um 6:04 pm

They melt pretty quickly and lose their shape. Wrapping them in wax paper helps, but if the temp rises too much they will still turn to blobs. If you cover them in standard tempered chocolate instead of the stout ganache, they will survive better at room temp.

Reply

Maggie May 29, 2012 um 6:07 pm

Well dang! Thanks for the heads up. Perhaps I’ll add a little extra cream and shoot for caramel sauce, then!

Reply

Jenni Field (@PastryChfOnline) May 30, 2012 um 10:14 pm

Love these! I used to make a great chocolate stout toffee sauce for a gastropub I worked at. These would’ve been perfect in place of mints w/the check! 🙂

Reply

Oh My Veggies (@ohmyveggies) May 31, 2012 um 1:51 am

These look so delicious, I want to cry. Because I want one now. And I can’t have one now. Sob. Stout is one of the few beers that I enjoy drinking (am I banned from your blog now?!), but I like it even more in sweets & baked goods!

Reply

Michale briosits May 31, 2012 um 4:12 pm

I’m impressed, I need to say. Actually not often do I encounter a blog about beer that is new and fresh. I really like it.

Reply

cravingsofalunatic June 6, 2012 um 12:36 am

Great caramels Jackie. I swear I’m going to have to stock up on some brew.

Reply

runwaychef June 18, 2012 um 7:46 pm

Caramel, beer & chocolate?! I’m sold!

Reply

Kali Seisler December 21, 2012 um 3:09 pm

I made your caramels today, but after I poured the sauce into the loaf pan and place it in the fridge the butter separated. Any ideas why? I cooked it to 240 degrees, although it took about 40 minutes, not 20. It was looking great until I peeked back in the fridge after 30 minutes and saw the pool of congealed butter on top of the caramel. Thanks! ~Kali

Reply

Jackie December 21, 2012 um 3:20 pm

I’ve never heard of that happening, so I googled it. Here is a good article on caramel seperating: http://candy.about.com/od/carameltoffee/f/separate_faq.htm

Apparently if there is a too drastic temperature shift, that can happen.
They say if you return the caramel to the stove and boil, it should go back just fine. Then pour into the pan, allow to cool to roomtemp, then put in the fridge.
You must have a vey cold fridge!

Reply

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