Last week I had the chance to glance through the amazing new Bill Collin's book Making & Using Caramel that is set to come out in late January 2016. I love caramel, so I was all about discovering what types of recipes and techniques he had to offer. And, as per usual, we had to make one or two of them as well. Because. :)
Anyway, in the first section of the book, Collins is all about introducing caramel to his readers. He goes into detail explaining the equipment you may need, the ingredients that will make your desserts stellar, and the process describing the steps the caramel goes through as it caramelizes. Each of these 21 pages provide necessary knowledge for you to make the best caramel desserts possible. Don't skip them!
Starting on page 22, Collins starts down the recipe path. Candies, brittle and toffee top the list and make for a delicious beginning. I was especially intrigued with the salted chocolate caramels. Yum! Of course, then he moves into sauces, cakes, and pies in the following 2 chapters ending with a tid bit on onion caramelization.
I have to be honest–the bit on onion caramelization seemed a tad forced; this book is mostly about sweets. No matter though, the recipes make this book a perfect gateway for the fall season as we head into Christmas. Who doesn't associate caramel apples with fall and chocolate (caramel) truffles with Christmas? Oh wait – Is that last one just me? ;)
Justin and I made both the pecan pie and the butterscotch syrup. I won't tell you how the pecan pie turned out since we were both under a lot of stress and not giving it the attention it deserved, but we learned from our mistake. We went with the quicker (but still requiring undivided attention!) butterscotch syrup recipe afterward. As a new fan of butterscotch, let me tell you that the syrup was lick-your-lips (and the spoon and the bowl!) amazing! Truly a great treat on top of ice cream after a long, busy, stressful day!
While there may be some more colorful books on the market potentially featuring more recipes, Making & Using Caramel really pulls the concept of making caramel together in a thoughtful and comprehensive way. I highly recommend it to those who are apprehensive about the caramel making process and want a good book with fantastic recipes on their bookshelf (or e-reader).
So, what do you think? Are you a huge fan of caramel? Will you be pre-ordering this January 2016 exclusive?
Pre-order here.
* I got to see the Advanced Reader version of this book prior to it's release in exchange for writing a review. All opinions are my own.
** I'm participating in Susannah Conway's December Reflections. Are you? Today's post was a response to #31 on the list "My Word For 2016". :)
