Caramel: Recipes for Deliciously Gooey Desserts [Paperback]

Peggy Cullen (Author), Maren Caruso (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2003

Caramel is the dreamiest, yummiest, most irresistible of sweets. And this full-surrender cookbook celebrates its remarkable versatility with creamy puddings, crunchy toffee, moist cakes, and fluffy meringues. Whether enjoying the satisfying crackle through a Crme Brulee crust, fresh fruit drizzled with Classic Caramel Dessert Sauce, Mad Cap Marshmallows dipped in chocolate and caramel, or luscious Caramel Crme Anglaise, everyone will find a favorite among these delicious treats. Step-by-step instructions make each recipe practically foolproof, while a helpful overview of basic techniques gives caramel lovers the tools they need to explore all the possibilities of sugar in its most sublime form. More than 30 select recipes and 20 color photographs paint a portrait in caramel no cook will want to miss.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This isn't the first book to focus on a single dessert ingredient, but it's one of the first to skip the chocolate and go for the gold-caramel. Cullen (Got Milk? The Cookie Book) has developed more than 50 mouth-watering recipes with caramel in a starring role. There are fruit desserts, such as Fresh Figs with Caramel and Crème Fraîche; new twists on classic favorites (e.g., Caramel-Roasted Strawberry Shortcakes); ice cream ideas like Caramelized Banana Split-Second Sundae; and desserts where caramel and chocolate come together in a heavenly combination, such as Chocolate-Caramel Crunch Cake. Chapters are logically divided, so it's easy to find the perfect dessert for moods and occasions. Cullen also provides information on the basics, from caramelizing sugar to cleaning up a sticky caramel mess, plus helpful hints, like her "Tips for Making and Serving Layer Cakes." The decadent recipes and unfussy, easy-to-follow instructions would be tempting enough on their own, but the beautiful color photos by Maren Caruso make this volume irresistible.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

I'll take caramel over chocolate any day, so "Caramel," by Peggy Cullen, could have been written just for me. Now is the time to bake little caramel-peach upside-down cakes and burnt-sugar and lemon tarts with blueberry compote, and you will find recipes for them in the book, along with classic lace cookies, toffee and caramel corn. Marshmallow confections called Mad Caps take time and patience, but are well worth it - even though they will be eaten in a flash. Recipes for ice cream desserts with caramel topping are included, but not for caramel ice cream. There is an excellent guide to making caramel, with good safety tips. (Sugar caramelizes at 320 to 350 degrees, hot enough to burn.) Ms. Cullen wisely cautions that handling caramel is not for small children. - New York Times

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811836479
• ISBN-13: 978-0811836470
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #703,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I melt for caramel, October 5, 2004

By 

H. Grove "Errant Dreams Reviews" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Caramel: Recipes for Deliciously Gooey Desserts (Paperback)

When I found out there was a caramel cookbook from Chronicle Books, I immediately got a copy. One of my favorite flavors combined with one of my favorite cookbook publishers--how could I go wrong? As usual, Chronicle did not disappoint; cookbook author Peggy Cullen and food photographer Maren Caruso have served up one of the most decadent cookbooks since Marcel Desaulniers' Death by Chocolate series.

Caramelizing sugar can be tough. It can burn in seconds. It can seize up. However, I saw an episode of Alton Brown's TV show "Good Eats" that dealt with the subject. Alton and food scientist Shirley O. Corriher explained lots of science about sugar crystals, the upshot of which is: include a little light corn syrup and your caramel won't seize up. That simple. I checked right away, and the caramel recipe here calls for a few drops of lemon juice or a little light corn syrup; I was satisfied that the author knew her stuff.

I headed for recipes that looked like challenges--ones I was a bit dubious about. I inherently love caramel, so this cookbook has an unfair advantage when being judged. The nut brittle (I'm not overly fond of nuts nor the sickly-sweetness of most brittles) bowled me over; I couldn't stop eating it. The pears poached in port wine sauce (I'm not thrilled about the taste of alcohol either) were delicious.

Recipes range from the elegant (fresh figs with caramel and creme fraiche) to the simple (caramel popcorn), time-consuming (chocolate-caramel crunch cake) to quick (caramel dessert sauce). There are classics like creme caramel, creme brulee, buttercrunch toffee, and nut praline. There are also plenty of things I haven't seen in other cookbooks, like caramelized banana split-second sundae, caramel-roasted strawberry shortcakes, and chocolate souffle roulade with caramel whipped cream. (And oh, the caramel peach-bottom babycakes are wonderful!)

I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this cookbook. Cooks who aren't confident in the kitchen and prefer to keep things simple would find many of the recipes too complex, but even they could play with things like the nut brittle, caramel sauce and caramel popcorn. Some people might not be thrilled by the price-to-number of recipes ratio (roughly 50 recipes not including variations and decorations), but this book has a value that the flat number of recipes can't convey.

Cullen demystifies caramel and turns it into something doable--even easy for more experienced cooks. And that's pure, luxurious, delectable magic.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book for your kitchen library, January 26, 2009

By 

B. Price (Upstate NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Caramel: Recipes for Deliciously Gooey Desserts (Paperback)

I have Peggy Cullen's cookie book (Got Milk?) and have read (and saved) her articles for Martha Stewart Living and Food & Wine magazine, among others. I knew of her candy recipes so I was expecting the caramel book to be just as easy, with her familiar and friendly voice. This book absolutely simplifies what had seemed like a challenging process - turning sugar into caramel (in its various forms) without burning, crystallizing or otherwise ruining pots of expensive ingredients. I went from having about 30% success with other cookbooks to no-fail. The recipes range from basic to expert. I love her nut brittles. Tart Tatin is a delicious and simple classic. The Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake is a fantastic addition to Thanksgiving and a huge hit at parties. I make pots of caramel sauce to dress up even a plain dessert - and everyone swoons. Try the super fast sticky buns. The madcaps are addictive. Next up, I've been hungry to try the Caramel Hazelnut tart. Cullen's book has even given me the confidence to take liberties - variations on caramelized apples, adding extra salt, even caramelizing without a thermometer! This is the book I most frequently give as a gift to friends who love cooking; especially after they have enjoyed something I made from one of Cullen's recipes and asked how they can learn to do the same. Get this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WHO DOESN'T LIKE CARAMEL?, April 30, 2010

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ireadabookaday - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Caramel: Recipes for Deliciously Gooey Desserts (Paperback)

No one I've ever met. This cookbook is full of recipes that will be a hit with a caramel lover or anyone you make them for. There is a lot of good information about the making of caramel that demystifies the process. The best part of the cookbook , is all the recipes that incorporate caramel(a very easy sticky bun recipe) or add caramel to something more unexpected(caramel dipped marshmallows). This is a very well-designed cookbook- my only complaint is that I wish it was longer.