Recipe from Chef Helen Lampkin.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. brown sugar
• 2 1/3 c. white sugar
• 16 oz. light corn syrup
• 1 lb. unsalted butter
• 32 oz. heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• Flaky sea salt, to top and to taste
• Pepitas, optional

Directions:

1. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If using pepitas, place on the baking sheet.
2. In a large and tall heavy cooking pot, mix sugars, corn syrup, butter, half the cream, and salt. Let the mixture come to a boil over medium/high heat, stirring every 5 minutes. As it just reaches a boil, add the remaining cream.
3. Place a candy thermometer so that it dips down to the mixture. Continue stirring carefully.
4. For caramel sauce, remove some of the mixture when it reaches 215-220F and place in a glass jar.
5. For the caramels, the temperature needs to reach 240F (soft ball stage). Test readiness by removing a small amount and place in a cup of water – if you are able to roll it into a a soft ball, it is ready to remove from the heat. Remove from the heat.
6. Stir in the vanilla and then pour immediately into the prepared baking sheet.
7. Let cool completely.
8. Once cool, remove from the pan and place on a large cutting board to cut into bite size pieces and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
9. Wrap individually and store in an airtight container.

Caramels and Caramel Sauce:

Adapted from Cook’s Country.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 16 Oreo cookies, roughly broken
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 4 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Ganache:

• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Filling:

• 2 TBSP water
• 1 TBSP unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 lbs. (5 c.) frozen raspberries
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 12 oz. (2 1/2 c.) fresh raspberries

Whipped Cream:

• 1 c. heavy cream
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 325F. In a food processor, pulse the Oreos and sugar until fine even crumbs. Drizzle melted butter over crumbs and pulse to incorporate.
2. Transfer mixture to a 9 inch pie plate. Using your hands, press crumbs very firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Using a greased bottom of a measuring cup, smooth out the crust into an even, compact layer. Bake until crust is fragrant and appears set, about 15 minutes; then transfer pie plate to a wire rack and let cool completely.
3. For the ganache: Microwave the cream, chocolate, and salt in a bowl, whisking frequently until melted, 1 to 3 minutes. Poor into cooled crust, and using a spatula, spread into an even layer. Refrigerate, uncovered until set, 30 – 60 minutes.
4. For the filling: Meanwhile, whisk 2 TBSP water and gelatin together in a bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, at least 5 minutes.
5. Cook frozen raspberries, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until mixture is boiling, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and reduced to 2 1/2 c., 10 – 12 minutes.
6. Off heat, add the lemon juice, vanilla, and gelatin mixture to raspberry filling until gelatin is dissolved, about 1 minute. Set aside until cooled slightly, about 15 minutes. Transfer filling to crust and refrigerate until set, ,about 4 hours. May loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 day.
7. Fresh raspberries: Arrange fresh raspberries is in concentric circles over filling, rounded sides up, pressing berries gently to adhere to filling.
8. For the whipped cream: Use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip all the ingredients on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks.

Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry Pie: