Salted Caramel Filling

I started making this filling to sandwich between macarons (page 288), and I ended up using it to sandwich cookies and whoopie pies (page 200) and to tuck inside mini cakes, desserts, cupcakes and even chaussons (page 256). It spreads and pipes beautifully, devices firmly and melts moral because it’ll aloof—upright on your tongue.

In France, section of the butter in the recipe would be a salted butter that is distinctly (in would prefer to mildly) salted. Since the quantity of salt in American butters is frequently low by comparison and for the reason that level varies, I articulate unsalted butter after which add as a lot salt as I need. I love fleur de sel in the caramel, nonetheless you’ll earn the salt you want and the quantity you want.


—Dorie Greenspan

Instructions

1. Lift the cream to a boil in a dinky saucepan on the stovetop or in a microwave oven. Take far from the heat.
2. Pour the sugar evenly over the backside of a gigantic excessive-sided skillet — nonstick is gargantuan here. Place the skillet over medium-excessive heat and forestall end, with a heatproof or wooden spatula in hand. Whereas you see the sugar melting around the perimeters of the pan, open stirring, making dinky round motions all around the perimeters after which, as more sugar melts, widening the circle. Cook and stride unless the sugar turns a delicate-weight blonde color — reflect ale. Turn off the heat, stand lend a hand and add 4 pats of the butter. Swirl the pan or stride because the combination sputters after which, aloof standing lend a hand, add the cream a piece at a time. Return the caramel to medium-excessive heat and cook dinner and stride unless gentle, 1 minute or so. Slither in the salt.
3. Conscientiously pour the caramel into a heatproof container (I articulate a 1-quart Pyrex measuring cup) and frosty for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Ideally, you want the caramel’s temperature to switch all of the very most lifelike way down to 140° F sooner than persevering with.
4. When the caramel has cooled, place the rest of the butter in a dinky bowl and, using a flexible spatula, combine it unless it has the consistency of mayonnaise. Which you’ll be in a position to be in a position to be ready to incorporate the butter with an immersion blender (my resolution — it’s why I pour the caramel into the measuring cup), blender, mini processor or spatula. Little by little, mix, direction of or beat in the butter, beating for no longer lower than 1 minute after every piece goes in and for one other minute in any case of the butter is integrated. Even as you light a blender or processor, stride the caramel as soon as or twice to deflate just some of the bubbles. Spot the combination into a container, press a a part of plastic movie against the surface and refrigerate unless chilled.
5. Give the chilly filling just a few turns with a spatula sooner than piping or spreading it.
6. Storing: Covered tightly, the filling will set in the refrigerator for as a lot as 1 week.