Caramel Boings - sugar

Method

• Place the sugar in a saucepan.
• Pour the water around the edge of the pan carefully to avoid any splashing up of the water or sugar crystals onto the walls of the pan.
• Draw your finger through it in an "X" to let the water infiltrate the sugar completely.
• Bring the sugar water to a boil and, without stirring, continue to cook until amber colored.
• Meanwhile, oil the sharpening steel very lightly with vegetable oil.
• Test the color of the caramel periodically by placing a drop of it on a white plate.
• When it?s slightly lighter than you want it to be, stop the cooking by placing the bottom of the pot in a bowl of ice water.
• Swirl it a bit to distribute the cooling.
• When the caramel has cooled enough to slowly fall from a spoon, gather up a glob (about 1 tablespoon) on the dessert spoon and hold it over the saucepan.
• Let it drop and, once you have a strand falling from the spoon, hold the sharpening steel over the sauce pan and wind the strand around it.
• Work your way up the steel, forming a spring, and when you reach the end of the steel, pinch the end of the caramel to cut it off.
• Let cool slightly, about 30 seconds, then slide it off the steel.
• Place in an airtight container with folded parchment paper in between each boing.