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This beautifully presented caramel recipe from Tom Aikens combines a piping of caramel mousse, squares of fudge, butterscotch sauce and a shard of caramel to make an illustrious petit four.
Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes to soften, then add to the caramel mix. Pass the mousse through a sieve and leave to cool a little
2 gelatine leaves
4
Make a pâte à bombe by boiling the remaining 65g of sugar and the water together until it reaches the soft ball stage, which is when a drop of syrup dropped in water forms a very soft ball (112-116ºC). Separate the eggs and whisk the egg yolks in a food mixer until fluffy, then add the sugar syrup and whisk this in the food mixer
Add the egg yolk mixture to the caramel mix. Whip the remaining 250ml of cream and gently stir in. Fill a piping bag with the mixture and chill until needed
250ml of whipping cream
6
To make the butterscotch sauce, simmer the double cream. In a separate pan, melt the sugar until it resembles a dry, dark caramel
130ml of double cream
50g of caster sugar
7
Whisk the warm cream into the caramel, then whisk in the butter. Remove from the heat and allow to cool
To make the fudge, melt the sugar, glucose, butter, double cream, single cream and icing sugar together until it reaches 121ºC. Add the seeds of the vanilla pod and a pinch of salt
Tip onto a lightly oiled 5mm deep tray and leave to cool. When set, cut into 5mm squares
10
To make the caramel sheets, cook the glucose and caster sugar together until a dark caramel colour and then pour in between 2 sheets of silicone paper
50g of glucose
50g of caster sugar
11
Roll with a rolling pin until very thin - approximately 1-2 mm thick - and allow to set. Once set, break into little pieces approximately 1cm each
12
Place the caramel sheets into an airtight plastic box with food grade silica gel, between sheets of baking parchment. Alternatively you can use a layer of uncooked rice if you can't get hold of the silica gel
13
Serve on spoons by piping the mousse into the front. Add a couple of squares of fudge and then pour on some of the butterscotch sauce. Place a caramel piece on top