Caramel Delights :)

I LOVE Girl Scout cookies, more than I should. My favorite being Caramel Delights (or their formal name Samoas)... I came across an article for ways to make the cookies at home! Here is the recipe (and some other cookies) which I have yet to try but want to soon. Yummy!

I'm adding part of the article here in case I need a quick reference later.

Here is a recipe for homemade Samoas that are easy to make—maybe a little time consuming—but absolutely worth it. And these will make enough that you won’t run out quickly. You may even want to share some.

Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Samoas

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup superfine sugar (or granulated)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
Dipping Caramel (recipe follows)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (available at health food stores)
12 ounces of chocolate chips

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add in egg and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the bowl, if necessary. Add in vanilla. Beat until smooth. With mixer on low, add in salt and flour. Mix until completely incorporated and dough is uniform. Pull dough together and shape into a cylinder with a diameter of about 2 1/2 inches. Wrap in parchment paper and freeze for at least 25 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice dough into 1/8 inch disks and place on baking sheets, about an inch apart. Once you have made 30 cookies, wrap up the cookie dough, freeze, and save for another time. Use a tiny circle shaped cookie cutter or a large round cake decorating tip to cut a hole in the center of each disk. Refrigerate for an additional 10 minutes. Bake for 8 minutes, or until crisp. Let cool completely.

3. Add coconut into the caramel. Warm the caramel in the microwave for about 10 seconds if necessary. Take cooled cookies and gently dip them completely in the caramel. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Freeze until set, about 5 minutes.

4. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each interval, until fully melted. Place the caramel coated cookies in the chocolate. Use a fork to pull them out of the chocolate and place them on a parchment line cookie sheet. Use the chocolate still on the fork to drizzle stripes over the top of the cookies. Refrigerate until set.

Dipping Caramel

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar)
4 tablespoons corn syrup
6 tablespoons water
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons cream (DO NOT use plain whipping cream)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan with high sides, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Whisk until combined, and set over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan every now and then to help distribute the heat. Use can use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush the sugar crystals down the sides of the saucepan. When the sugar dissolves completely, raise the heat to medium. When it comes to a boil, watch very carefully for the bubbles to become more viscous (this means that the water has evaporated and that it is ready to go through the candy stages). As it is bubbling away, you want it to turn a deep amber color. When it does, remove the heat and, working quickly, use the spoon to scoop up a small amount of the candy and drop it into the small glass of water. If the blob turns hard like lollipop, then it is ready. If the blob is still soft, put the pan back on the heat. Keep testing until the candy is hard. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk in butter, 6 tablespoons of cream, and vanilla (Careful here, as the mixture should bubble violently for about 10 seconds). If the caramel isn’t smooth right away, return the pan to low heat and whisk until smooth.

One, Two, Three..... Wait!?!?!?!

This is the best thing I have seen in awhile. I had a great laugh when I saw this on Ellen today. What a great picture for the front cover of a children's book.




I love watching Ellen when I can!

Internet at HOME!

I finally have internet at home. I have not had this pleasure since the middle of summer and I have to say it is making me more productive in everything! I hope to be able to post pictures now and blog more. I will be able to lesson plan at home and come up with better ideas for school since I work better once I have taken a small break from the students.

I also bought Zumba for the Wii... I hope I enjoy this just as much as group Zumba and lok forward to taking out of the box and playing. (Once I make sure I got a good price on it, it was a splurge at the store last night)

also....

If anyone is reading, how do I delete a post? I had a video deleted and its messing up the whole page :(

Its a New Year!

Just for those who do read this.... which is probably just Angi who checks to see if I do. I plan to start writing again this year. Once we get internet at home it will be easier to keep up. My blog will be more about my marriage and teaching rather than crafts but maybe I will have something cool to share once in awhile.

A note from school today.... teacher says "What is 8-3?" Multiple students: "2,4, NO IT's 3!" Too funny!!!!