Salted caramel chocolate cuppies! whoo-hoo!

Doesn't this look amazing? Salt and caramel.......oh the perfect pair!
I love blogs that I can look at without reading too much, this is an homage to that! Enjoy!

The cake batter will look runny......no worries.

This recipe yielded 2 dozen cuppies.

As you can see, they rose nicely.

I always test my cuppies once they're out of the oven. #1- do they come off of the paper? Answer: yes!

#2 How does the crumb look? Answer: very nice! no tunneling, not too dense, so far so good!

#3 ( my fav) taste. Answer: very moist, not too sweet.

#4 did I like it ? Answer: see above pic :o)

Most cuppies ( the test cuppie served its purpose & took one for the team) cooling comfortably.

Making a hole in the middle. How you do it is totally up to you. Some prefer a small knife, some have used a tip, both are shown above. Between the 2 methods the tip actually worked better. They were always uniform and it was very quick. I have also used an apple corer which is my personal preference , but I couldnt find the darn thing- oh well.

These are the things you will need to make the caramel. Im a firm believer in mise en place ( literaly translates into "everything in its place", but it just means get all your stuff together before you start baking.

A cup/glass filled with water and a small pastry brush

a heat proof spoon

a candy thermometer
the cream the recipe calls for

the salt the recipe calls for

Just a quick hint: if you spray the tablespoon with cooking spray prior to pouring/measuring the corn syrup, it will all just slide out, allowing you to get the proper amount without leaving any behind in the spoon.

Im doing the best I can, holding the camera in one hand, trying to get a good shot and I have a little problem that doesnt help. Ill share it now, as embarrassing as it is. I cant wink. Why does this matter? well......it means that when im trying to take a pic, I cant close one eye unless I literally hold it closed with my other hand. Im sure that paints such a silly pic, but ......deep breath..... now im freeeeeeeeeeeeee! My secret is out!!!

When you're heating sugar and water, you should always add the water to the pan first.

Stir the sugar, water & corn syrup mixture until its clear. Use the pastry brush to brush off any sugar that gets on the sides of the pan. The reason being if they stay there, they will crystalize and then fall back into the mixture. You do not want this. Trust me. It ruins your caramel and you have to start all over.

Once the mixture is clear, add your candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Make sure that the tip of the therometer is IN the sugar mixture. If not, you will not get an accurate reading.

Try to also move the therometer so you can wash down the sugar that forms behind it.

Be careful when you add the cream, it will bubble and splash. This pic is after the cream was mixed in, once it was stirred.

Im glad that you can see the color, its just beautiful. Oh caramel , how I love you!!

Trying to show you the color again.

Pouring the caramel into the cupcakes.

It sank into the cupcake rather quickly. If I.......when I .......make these again, ill definitely wait unitl the caramel cools a little more before I pour it in the cuppies.

So YUMMY!

I knew I wanted to drizzle caramel on top of the cuppy, so I poured the remainder into a bottle. I only used enough caramel for a dozen cuppies, thats why I had enough to fill a squeeze bottle. FYI.

Now, it's time for the frosting. I beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

That looks about right.

This is the chocolate for the frosting. I decided to use a double boiler instead of a microwave. Its up to you.

Silky smooth and beautiful!

This is the cocoa powder mixed with the boiling water. I whisked it until smooth.

Pouring the melted chocolate into the butter and powdered sugar.

Still pouring.....

Chocolate frosting all ready for a cuppy!

I used a circle tip and piped the frosting into the cuppy. Then I drizzled the caramel and sprinkled it with pink sea salt.

I hope you enjoyed this post, please leave comments and feel free to ask any questions you may have!!

Salted caramel chocolate cupcakes

Cupcakes
•1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
•1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
•1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
•3/4 teaspoon baking powder
•3/4 teaspoon salt
•2 large eggs
•3/4 cup buttermilk
•3 tablespoons vegetable oil
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•3/4 cup warm water
•sea salt, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and water.
Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix until smooth.

Fill muffin pans about 2/3 full. Bake about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pans on wire racks about 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes to wire racks to let cool completely.

Salted Caramel Filling
•2 & 1/2 cups sugar
•2/3 cup water
•1 tablespoon light corn syrup
•3/4 cup heavy cream
•2 & 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Heat sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Stir occasionally until syrup is clear. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan.
Stop stirring, and cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed.

Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and temperature just reaches 330°.

Remove from heat. Slowly pour in cream and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt. Use immediately.


Use a paring knife, cut a cone-shaped piece, about 1/2-inch deep, from the center of each cupcake.
Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of warm filling into each cupcake. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over filling.


Dark Chocolate Frosting
•1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
•1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
•2 & 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
•3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1 & 1/2 pounds semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
Combine cocoa and boiling water. Stir until cocoa has dissolved.

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy.
Reduce speed to low and add melted and cooled chocolate. Beat until combined. Beat in cocoa mixture.

Gotta get your veggies in!! (even in cake)

I wasnt going to post this recipe because I 'lost' the pics of the actual cake and final plating. Talk about a blonde moment! ( please do not send angry emails , I am a natural blonde, so I can say that!) But it was just so much fun to make and so yummy, I figured it was better than nothing.

As usual....I've been wanting to make this recipe for quite sometime. I found it in a Pastry & Baking magazine January 2009. Its from Johnny Iuzzini, the Executive Pastry Chef at Jean Georges in NYC and, as you might now know, currently one of the judges on Top Chef:Just Desserts.

I also have his book Dessert Foreplay, which I picked up at the bookstore for 2 reasons: 1- the name of the book, & 2- his hair. Yes, I said his hair. Anyone over 30 who still refers to himself as Johnny AND rocks a pompador, is either crazy or confident. Or......crazy confident!

Ok, let's begin.....
A pic of 2 beautifully roasted beets above.

Rough chop the beets once they're cool, before you puree them.

Such a pretty color!!

Make sure you strain it.

Put it in a bowl on the side with the rest of the mise en place.

After slicing the rest of the beets to about 1/8 of an inch, add them to simple syrup and boil.

After they've cooled and you've patted them dry, dip them in sugar.

Once thats done, place them on a silpat and put in a cool dry place overnight.

Candied Beets

2 bunches baby beets
2 cups (400g) simple syrup
Sugar
Peel the beets and slice them about 1/8
inch thick.
Bring the simple syrup to a boil in a
saucepan over medium heat. Add the
beets and bring to a simmer. Reduce the
heat and simmer the beets gently until
they’re translucent, about 1 hour. Keep
the heat low, so the beets don’t curl as
you cook them. Let cool completely in
the syrup.
Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or
parchment.
Drain the beets gently, so they don’t
break, and dredge them in sugar. Arrange
on the baking sheet and place in a cold
oven overnight to dry.
Store in an airtight container for up to
a week.

Cake

3 large beets
Coarse salt
1 ounce (28g) unsweetened chocolate –
chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp (80g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2g) baking soda
11/2 cups plus 1 tbsp (160g) †sugar
1 large egg
6 tablespoons (80g) grapeseed oil ( i used vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon (2g) vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 425ºF or 400ºF on
convection.
Trim the tops from the beets, leaving
about 1 inch of the stems. Tear off a large
piece of aluminum foil and make a bed
of coarse salt in the center. Set the beets
on the salt, wrap the foil to make a tight
package, and roast the beets until very
tender, about 1 hour.
Let the beets cool. Peel them and cut
them into chunks. Put them in a food
processor and process to a very fine
puree. Strain and measure out 1/2 cup.
Reserve the rest for the sauce.

Heat the oven to 350ºF or 325ºF on
convection. Butter and sugar a 9-inch
square baking pan.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave, in
30-second bursts, stirring after each
burst.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and 1/8 tsp
salt together in a bowl.
Put the sugar, egg, and oil in the bowl
of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk.
Whisk for 2 minutes at medium-high
speed, until pale and light. Beat in the
vanilla extract, then the dry ingredients,
then the chocolate, then the beet puree,
mixing well after each addition.
Scrape the batter into the pan and rap
it on the counter to remove air bubbles.
Bake until a knife comes out clean, 18
to 20 minutes, rotating the pan after 10
minutes. Let cool completely before
removing the cake from the pan
Serve
Cut the cake into cubes.
Dip one cube in the beet sauce,
coating it completely. Pair it with a plain
piece of cake on a dessert plate and
garnish with a few candied beets,
crumbling some of the beets if you want,
and a spoonful of sauce.

It makes a beautiful presentation, especially on a white plate, it really makes the colors POP!.

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed making it.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Jess

Sweet scone o' mine!

I definitely want to blog more, but I must admit......I didnt know that when I got a tattoo of Eeyore many years ago, it would be an omen of things to come. Meaning, I seem to have a dark cloud over my head & not only has it been there for quite sometime, it also doesnt seem to have any plans on leaving anytime soon. We'll just leave it at that for now. Because now it's time for one of my favorite recipes from pastry school..........cranberry drop scones!

Its a pretty basic recipe, just make sure not to overmix.

Oh yeah, and I also added some chopped white chocolate. I love the combination. mmm-mmm-mmm!

Ice cream scoops are my favorite gadget! They make things look so neat and uniform ( & keep my OCD in check! )

I also sprinkle some granulated sugar on top before baking them. I just love that extra sweet crunch on top!

>

Look at these beauties. They smell super fabulous too. Try not to over bake them because a dry scone is a not a happy scone.

I wanted to show the middle, the top and the bottom so you can see what they're supposed to look like.

Heres the recipe: (from Professional Baking, fifth edition, Gisslen)

butter 6oz

sugar 5oz

salt 0.25oz

egg yolks 1.33oz (2yolks)

pastry flour 1# & 8oz ( i used 1/2 AP flour & 1/2 cake flour)

baking powder 1.25 oz

milk 14oz

dried cranberries 4oz

white chocolate ~2oz

Preheat oven to 400. combine butter, sugar & salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Blend to a smooth paste. Add the eggs gradually & blend in thoroughly. Add the milk & mix in. Sift together the flour(s) & the baking powder. Add to the bowl and mix to a smooth dough. Add the cranberries and chocolate just until mixed in. Drop mounds onto parchment-lined sheet pan, ( I didnt have any, it was fine- or you can use a silpat). Bake until golden brown and slightly firm to the touch.( probably about 15mins) Let cool for 5 minutes on pan before removing.

I highly recommend these, they're amazing. They're not too sweet and when you bite into a cranberry piece as well as a white chocolate piece.......heavenly!!

I welcome all comments and i'd love to see pics if anyone is tempted to bake them.