The word “caramel” describes the transformation that takes place when sugar is dehydrated when heated. A number of confectionery products are made with caramel, which can be hard or soft depending on how long they are cooked, the ingredients used and the production method.

For 60 chewy caramels

• Preparation time: 1 hour
• Resting time: 2 hours
• Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 250ml cream 
• 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and scraped 
• 190g sugar 
• 175g glucose
• 15g room-temperature butter 
• 3g fine ‘fleur de sel’ sea salt

Equipment

• A 20cm x 12.5cm x 1.5cm high (or edges of the same dimensions) stainless steel tray
• 1 cooking thermometer
• Cellophane paper or baking parchment

Method

Line the base of the stainless steel tray with baking parchment.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream with the vanilla (pod and seeds) until it boils. Set aside.

Pour the sugar and glucose into another saucepan and heat to a dark caramel (180°C on the cooking thermometer).

Remove the vanilla pod from the cream, then carefully stop the caramel cooking by pouring in a small amount of hot cream. Whisk to combine. Whisk in the remaining cream in batches to prevent the caramel from setting.

Whisk constantly to prevent the caramel sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook the soft caramel until it reaches 120°C on the thermometer.

Add the butter and fine “fleur de sel” sea salt, stir well, then carefully fill the stainless steel tray and leave to cool to room temperature.

When the caramel has set (about 2 hours), remove from the tray by running the blade of a knife around the inside edge, then tip onto a board covered with parchment paper and carefully remove the paper.

Using a large knife, cut out 2cm squares, then wrap the soft caramels in cellophane paper or baking parchment.

Store the chewy caramels at room temperature, away from moisture, for up to three weeks.

In the past, marshmallow roots were used to prepare this confectionery. Today, it is often made with sugar, glucose, egg whites and gelatine, to which a range of food colourings and flavourings (violet, poppy, etc.) can be added.

For 90 to 100 marshmallows

• Preparation time: 45 minutes
• Resting time: 24 hours
• Refrigeration time: 30 minutes
• Cooking time: 7 minutes

Ingredients

• 19g gelatine powder (200 Bloom) or 9½ gold gelatine leaves
• 95 ml cold water 
• 65g egg whites
• 120ml water 
• 395g sugar 
• 50g glucose 
• 10g natural raspberry extract
• 4 drops liquid raspberry red food colouring 
• 10ml lemon juice
• 35g dried raspberry pieces (optional)
• 150g icing sugar 
• 150g potato starch
• Sunflower oil for the metal frame

Equipment

• 1 stand mixer 
• 1 cooking thermometer 
• A 20cm x 20cm x 2cm high metal frame

Method

The day before

Prepare the gelatine mass: Whisk the powdered gelatine with cold water in a bowl (if you are using gelatine leaves, make sure they are submerged in the water). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.

Pour the water and sugar into a saucepan, mix to dissolve the sugar, then add the glucose and cook until the temperature reaches 130°C (soft crack) on the thermometer. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine mass.

Immediately and with care pour a thin stream of cooked sugar syrup into the whisked egg whites on slow speed, then increase the speed and whisk briskly for 5 minutes.

Combine the natural raspberry extract, food colouring and lemon juice, add to the marshmallow. Continue whisking until the marshmallow has increased in volume and firm peaks cling to the tip of the whisk. Slowly whisk in the dried raspberry pieces (optional).

Combine the icing sugar and potato starch. Sprinkle part of the mixture onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Oil the metal frame and place on the baking tray. Tip in the marshmallow. Lightly oil a straight (icing) spatula and smooth the surface.

Leave the marshmallow to set for 24 hours at room temperature.

On the day

Sprinkle a baking tray with the remaining icing sugar/ starch mixture.

Turn the marshmallow onto a sheet of baking parchment, then remove the baking parchment from the surface.

Remove the metal frame by running the blade of a knife inside the frame to loosen the marshmallow. Place the marshmallow in the icing sugar/starch mixture and turn to coat all sides.

Cut into 2cm wide strips, then into 2cm cubes. Roll the cubes in the icing sugar/starch mixture, then sift to remove any excess.

Store the pink marshmallows in an airtight container, they will keep for one week at room temperature.

Nougat is a confectionery made from sugar and honey and must contain 15% nuts. Its hard or soft consistency varies according to how it is cooked. Candied fruit can also be added. Several regions of France produce nougat, but Montélimar, once the capital of this confectionery, is the most famous nougat-producing town for its nougats containing at least 30% nuts, including almonds and pistachios.

For 30 soft nougats

• Preparation time: 1 hour
• Resting time: 6 hours
• Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 50g whole hazelnuts 
• 190g whole almonds 
• 50g blanched pistachio nuts
• 65g egg whites 
• 60g sugar
• 50ml water 
• 140g sugar 
• 110g glucose
• 1 vanilla pod 
• 140g honey 
• 5g cocoa butter 
• 2 sheets wafer paper
• Grapeseed oil for the knife

Equipment

• 1 stand mixer 
• 1 cooking thermometer 
• 1 chef’s blowtorch 
• 1 silicone mat
• 2 confectionery rulers 
• 1 serrated knife

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Place the hazelnuts, almonds and pistachios on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then increase the speed and continue until they are stiff and cling to the tip of the whisk. Add the sugar to stiffen the meringue.

Meanwhile, pour the water and sugar into a saucepan, stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the glucose. Heat until the temperature reaches 160°C (barley-coloured sugar) on the cooking thermometer. Carefully pour a thin stream of cooked sugar syrup into the stiff peak egg whites with the mixer still running and continue whisking until obtaining a homogeneous consistency.

At the same time, split the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife. Heat the honey and vanilla seeds in a saucepan until the temperature reaches 130°C on the cooking thermometer. Immediately pour the vanilla-honey in a stream into the meringued egg whites and gently whisk.

Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment and mix on a slow speed. Using a blowtorch, heat the sides of the bowl while leaving the mixer running until of fairly firm and thick consistency.

Melt the cocoa butter to 30°C, pour into the nougat mixture and stir.

Add the nuts and mix gently at low speed.

Place a sheet of wafer paper on the silicone mat along with the 2 confectionery rulers, 1.5 cm high, and pour in the nougat.

Using a rolling pin, roll out to the rulers and to a thickness of 1.5 cm. Place the second sheet of wafer paper on top and gently roll to seal.

Leave to cool at room temperature for at least 6 hours.

Using a lightly oiled serrated knife, cut into 2 cm wide strips, then into 5 cm long rectangles.

Store the nougats for up to 1 month in an airtight container, or individually wrapped in cling film, away from humidity.

Cooking honey

Cooking honey can be difficult for several reasons: its natural colour makes it difficult to distinguish when it is cooked, it cannot withstand cooking temperatures above 130°C, which causes it to burn, and the many impurities it contains cause it to foam when heated. The trick to solving all these problems is to heat it gently in a saucepan which is the right size for the quantity of honey, until it is coloured and cooked.