Richard Capizzi’s Caramel Slice
Words Richard CapizziThis year, we’re partnering with chef-supporters of Cookies for Kids’ Cancer who are providing us with recipes for baked goods we hope will inspire you to host your own CFKC bake sale. To find out more about CFKC and to get involved, visit www.cookiesforkidscancer.org.
I’ve participated in Chefs for Kids’ for many years now and would have to say, it is one of the most meaningful and rewarding aspects of my career. As a father, this cause is close to my heart. I am honored to support and raise awareness for pediatric cancer.
Ingredients
400 g – flour / 3.5 cups
30 g – baking powder / 2 tablespoons
200 g – coconut, desiccated / 2 cups
540 g – brown sugar / 2 1/4 cups brown sugar
380 g – butter, melted / 1 2/3 cups
- Preheat oven to 170C (338F)
- Mix dry ingredients together.
- Add the melted butter and stir to combine.
- Pour mixture into a half sheet jelly roll pan and par bake for about 15 minutes, until it is lightly browned.
Filling
160 g condensed milk / 1 cup
120 g butter / 1 cup
200 g golden syrup (dark corn syrup) / 1 ⅓ cup
- Combine milk, butter and syrup in a saucepan.
- Cook on low heat for 10 min.
- Pour onto cookie base after it has cooled.
- Bake at 150 (300F) for 15-20 mins.
- Let cool.
Topping
640 g chocolate / 2 cups
160 g oil, canola / 6 tablespoons
- Combine chocolate and oil in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.
- Once melted and combined, pour onto Filling and let it set.
- Once completely set, slice into 2” squares.
As Pastry Chef at Lincoln Ristorante, Richard Capizzi crafts refined renditions of Italy’s classics: light, lush and beautifully constructed. Using the freshest seasonal ingredients, he makes elegant desserts such as tartufo alla nocciola with salted caramel and chocolate meringue, brioche con gelato with almonds and fresh berries, torta paradiso with chamomile poached apricots and almond milk gelato. A gifted baker as well as confectioner, chocolatier and maker of gelato and sorbetto, Capizzi is at the helm of the bread service, comprised of focaccia, flatbreads, carta di musica and grissini in addition to bar snacks.
Capizzi won the title of Pastry Chef of the Year, as well as gold medals for “Most Artistic Plated Dessert,” The Vatel Club’s “Technical Prize” and the Societe Culinaire Philanthropique’s Award for Exceptional Taste at the 14th Annual US Pastry Competition in New York in 2003. He was the youngest and the first pastry chef ever to sweep the entire competition. While at Per Se Dessert Professional honored Richard as one of the top 10 best pastry chefs in 2009. Richard Capizzi lives in Merrick, NY, with his wife Phyllis and their two children.
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43 Comments
Geeze, there are so many errors in this recipe. Where do I begin? A jellyroll pan is 10×15″, not the same as a half sheet pan. I used a jellyroll pan as specified and the crust is too thick. Secondly, it appears that the caramel layer is skimpy and needs to be doubled. Also, a caramel is usually done by a temperature reading, not a time reading. I followed the recipe instructions, but made sure my caramel reached 225°. Thirdly, I believe light corn syrup would have yielded a better tasting caramel. This tastes too much like molasses, in my opinion. Did *anyone* test this recipe per the ingredients and instructions before publishing it? I don’t think so…
I made these a couple of days ago, using only the gram weight measurements. When I got the ingredients for the caramel filling into the pan I thought it looked pretty skimpy, and since I had only used part of the can of sweetened condensed milk I decided to double the filling quantities so I used the rest of the can of sweetened condensed milk and doubled the corn syrup and butter. The crust baked up great, then I put the filling on and put it back into the oven. I baked it for a couple of minutes longer than specified so it would get nice and firm. Topped it with the chocolate mixture and let it set overnight. When I slliced them the next day they were fantastic! They cut cleanly and easily and they looked great. I cut them a bit smaller than called for, about 1″ by 2″ bars. I took them to a family gathering and they were a big hit. Everybody loved them and I bagged up the leftovers and sent them home with people. I can’t have this kind of thing in the house – bad things happen. So here are my recipe notes:
1. The crust is fantastic as is but I’m going to try it with finely chopped pecans or walnuts instead of the coconut.
2. Use the gram weights, NOT the cup measurements. (You really should do this when baking anyway since it’s more accurate.)
3. Double the filling ingredients
4. Bake a couple of minutes longer so the filling gets really caramelized.
5. After spreading the chocolate topping, lightly sprinkle on some flake salt or kosher salt.
What kind of chocolate is recommended for the topping? Would Coconut oil work as well as canola oil in the topping?
I just made this recipe using the gram weight and so far it looks perfect, just put the chocolate on the top. I have to say that most of the gram weights did not match the cup or tablespoon amount that is given – at all. Some like the chocolate was half as much as was needed with gram weight. The Golden syrup, which I found at World Market for the same price as Amazon, was a lot less in grams then in the cup amount. I just used the gram weight straight across.
Did you really mean 27/10 cups of brown sugar? Is this a mistake?
27/10 brown sugar is kinda hard to read -2 and 3/4 cups is a better way to look at this
There is sweetened condensed milk, with sugar, and then there is evaporated milk, without sugar added. Which should I use?
What does “part bake” mean?
What exactly does “parbake” mean? How long does the cookie base have to bake?
The recipe calls for “condensed milk”. Is that evaporated (canned) milk, or sweetened condensed milk? Thank you! I’m going to bake these very soon.
What kind of chocolate — bar, chips, powder –sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet?
This recipe sounds good, but how much brown sugar is needed for the flour and coconut cookie layer?
What is desiccated coconut? Is it sweeter or unsweetened
These look yummy – how many minutes do you bake the first step?
How much brown sugar in cups, is equal to 540 grams? I didn’t see the conversion, less a 27/10.
How long do you par-bake the cookie base?
How long do you par bake the first layer?
How long do you par-bake the crust for?
How much brown sugar?
The quantities for the filling and the topping have the measurement unit missing. I am assuming it is in grams? grams’ Could that please be corrected ASAP. Thank you for the recipe, sounds delicious.
Ummmm…could you be more explicit re:“par bake” How long?
What is size of half sheet jelly roll pan?