Caramel

April 16, 2015

Caramel Filled Pecan Brownies

Carrie Zinnecker Brownies and Bars, Chocolate, Desserts brownies, Caramel, Pastry Queen, pecans 1 Comment

While I was with my family recently, one of my sisters mentioned that she was perusing the blog and came across a recipe with some horrendous photographs. There are lots of these posts. I haven’t taken them down, and I don’t plan to. Even though running across them is like finding old college pics that someone else posted on facebook from a night you kind of want to forget, I’m keeping them up. One of the main reasons is that many of them are good recipes! But we all know that the world of food blogging requires more than just a good recipe. You’d better have some pictures that make people want to make the recipe. I don’t know about you, but these pictures make me want caramel filled brownies.

I decided that I would make a little project out of going back through some of my old posts that have really great recipes and re-doing them, without taking the old ones down. It’s fun to see how far I’ve come in taking pictures of food, writing about the food, and I even think I’ve become a better baker and cook in the past 8 years or so that I’ve had this blog. Here is the old post for these brownies. It was just about 6 and a half years ago. These pictures were taken in our little apartment in China Spring while I was teaching school and Ben was in law school. Things are pretty different for us now!

This recipe is from The Pastry Queen. It’s a great cookbook. Everything is delicious. If you’ve read my blog before you’ve likely heard me (if you can “hear” something in writing) sing its praises. I only changed one thing from the original recipe, and that was to use a bag of those caramel bits instead of unwrapping a bunch of caramels. It worked out just fine.

I highly advise cutting these cold from the fridge and even eating them cold is a great idea. However, warming one briefly in the microwave and topping it with a little vanilla ice cream isn’t a bad way to enjoy these brownies.

Caramel Filled Pecan Brownies

From The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (11 ounces) caramel bits
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Toast pecans for about 8 minutes, until they are fragrant but before they begin to get too dark. Break apart any large pieces and set them aside.
Line a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving some overhang. Grease foil generously with shortening. Set aside.
Combine butter and chocolate in a medium-sized heavy saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Do not let it burn. Transfer chocolate to a large bowl and let cool for a few minutes. Add in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla, and mix (with a whisk, hand mixer or a stand mixer) until thick and glossy. (
Whisk or stir in flour and salt. Transfer half of batter (about 2 cups) to baking pan and spread evenly, sprinkle half of the pecans over the batter and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
Once the brownies cool, melt caramels and cream in a medium-sized heavy saucepan and stir over low heat until completely melted and smooth. Immediately spread caramel mixture over baked brownies. Pour remaining brownie batter evenly over caramel mixture and spread gently to cover, being careful not to mix up the brownie and caramel layers.
Sprinkle chocolate chips and remaining pecans on top and bake for 20 minutes. Cool, then transfer to the fridge for at least a few hours.
Lift brownies out of the pan by lifting the foil. Remove the foil carefully, bring sure to get all of it off, especially around the edges and the corners where the caramel will stick. Cut brownies into squares. Serve at room temp or cold. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

March 27, 2015

Daring Bakers: Tarte Tatin

Carrie Zinnecker Daring Bakers, Desserts, Fruit, Pies, Tarts apples, Caramel, Daring Bakers, puff pastry, tarte tatin 2 Comments

This is one of those classic desserts that I can’t believe I haven’t made before! Thanks again, Daring Bakers, for getting me to try something new and delicious. And so beautiful!

For the March Daring bakers’ challenge, Korena from Korena in the Kitchen taught us that some treats are best enjoyed upside down. She challenged us to make a tarte tatin from scratch.

Since I of course didn’t make this until 2 days before the posting date and I am off to visit family for the weekend I am going to keep this post pretty short. The recipe worked wonderfully well and I had no issues whatsoever. I would do it all the same the next time around.

Except for the apples. Mine were HUGE and I used the recommend 6 called for and had a bunch left over. You want more apples than the pan can hold since they do cook down, but I had probably 2 apples worth of slices left. That being said, I’d rather have too much than not enough.

The recipe for the pastry is easy and bakes up so flaky I know I’ll be making it again. I can’t believe I almost cheated and used a frozen puff pastry!

The caramel is a time consuming but fun project! Forgive these photos, but I thought it would be helpful to see the process. If I didn’t know the stages the sugar would go through I would’ve thought something was going terribly wrong. So, no need to worry when the sugar gets all nasty and clumpy and looks like nothing good can come from it. Something very good is coming. Just keep stirring and be patient.

The apples get wonderfully soft in the rich caramel. A scoop of plain vanilla bean ice cream is the perfect accompaniment to this rich dessert.

After arranging the apples and letting them cool a bit, place the crust on top and bake. I wasn’t supposed to let the tarte cool all the way before unmolding, so I was worried that it wouldn’t come out cleanly. I warmed the pan on the stove very breifly and it came out perfectly.

This is a beautiful dessert, perfect for impressing your guests! Or perfect to make for yourself and your baked good-loving toddler when your husband has gone out of town…

Tarte Tatin

Pastry

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup ( 5 ounces) unsalted butter, cold
¼ tsp fine salt
¼ cup ice cold water

Directions

Pulse flour, butter and salt in a food processor until butter is in pea sized pieces.
Stream in the water until the dough just comes together.
Turn out on a floured surface and press together into a square.
Roll into a 10 inch rectangle. Fold the top third of the dough down and the bottom third up so that you have 3 layers. Rotate 1/4 turn and repeat this process 4 more times.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour, but up to a day.

Filling

Ingredients

4 large or 5-6 medium-sized apples (I used Granny Smith)
Juice of half a lemon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided
pinch salt

Directions

Peel the apples and cut them into 4-6 pieces depending on the size of the apples. Remove the cores in such a way that each apple quarter has a flat inner side: when placed rounded-side-up, it should sit on a flat base. Place the apples in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice and 1/3 cup sugar. This will help draw out some of the moisture from the apples and prevent an overly runny caramel. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Melt the butter in a very heavy, 9” or 10″ oven-proof saucepan over medium heat, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup sugar. Stir with a whisk until the sugar melts and becomes a pale, smooth caramel. The sugar will seem dry and chunky at first, then will start to melt and smooth out. If the butter appears to separate out from the caramel, just keep whisking until it is a cohesive sauce. This can be a long process, but it eventually works! Remove from the heat.
Preheat oven to 375F. Discard the liquid that has come out of the apples, then add the apple quarters to the caramel, round side down. They won’t all fit in a single layer at first, but as they cook they will shrink a bit. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, pressing down gently on the apples with a spoon to cover them in the caramel liquid. Move the apples around the pan gently so that they all cook evenly, trying to keep them round side down. When the apples have shrunk enough to mostly fit in a single layer and are starting to soften but still keep their shape, remove the pan from the heat.
With a wooden spoon, arrange the apples, round side down, in a single layer of concentric circles covering the bottom of the pan. Set aside until the filling stops steaming before covering with pastry.
Remove the pastry from the fridge, roll it out on a lightly floured surface, and trim it into a circle about 1″ in diameter larger than your saucepan. Lay it over the filling, tucking in the edges between the apples and the sides of the pan, and cut a few steam vents in the pastry. Place the saucepan on a rimmed baking sheet (just in case the filling decides to bubble over the sides) and place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, then increase the heat to 400°F for 5 minutes. Keep and eye on it so it doesn’t get too dark.
Remove from the oven and let sit just until the caramel stops bubbling. Immediately place a serving platter (slightly larger in diameter than the saucepan) over the pastry. Wearing oven mitts, grab hold of the saucepan and platter and quickly invert everything to unmold the Tatin onto the platter. If any of the apples stick to the pan or come out of place, rearrange them with a spatula.
The tarte can be served warm from the oven or at room temperature. Suggested accompaniments include vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or crème fraîche.

November 10, 2014

Fleur de Sel Caramel and Cream Cheese Apple Galette

Carrie Zinnecker Desserts, Fruit, Holidays apple, Caramel, cream cheese, fleur de sel caramel, galette, pie dough 2 Comments

We are well into November, which means it’s time to start thinking about your Thanksgiving meal. Not Christmas yet though, despite the fact that almost every retail store I’ve been to has their trees up already. Straight from Halloween to Christmas! It’s crazy. But Thanksgiving is just a little over 2 weeks away so let’s talk food. I’ll share a few recipes over the next couple of weeks.

The more I cook the more recipes I have stored up either here on the blog or in a ridiculous collection of books and binders that I can turn to. I come from a family of 4 girls, all of whom enjoy cooking. So when it comes to holiday meals we all start searching for things we’d like to make. We almost never make the same thing twice, except for my Grandma June’s dressing which is always on the table, as is her apple pie. But we like to branch out and try other ways to prepare vegetables, desserts and sides.

This simple apple galette would be a lovely Thanksgiving dessert, but could easily make its way to your table on a weeknight. It’s simple to prepare and doesn’t require many ingredients or much time. You can use a scratch pie crust or a store bought one to make it even simpler.

This caramel sauce takes this simple dessert to a special place and I am so thankful to my good friend who introduced me to it! Go grab yourself a few jars. It’s also terrific as a dip for raw apples slices, so whatever you have leftover from this galette you can use as an afternoon snack. You’re welcome.

This is different enough from a pie that you could get away with having a traditional apple pie and this galette on the same dessert table. The thin-ness of this galette makes me feel a little better about eating dessert, even though it’s probably not too much better for me. The cream cheese is subtle and pairs well with the apples and caramel, but you could easily leave it out if you don’t have any around or if you just don’t care for it.

I’m really looking forward to Thanksgiving. I really enjoy this holiday and this year we get to spend it at the lake with my husband’s family, which will be lovely as always. What are you planning to make for Thanksgiving? Do you have any recipes you make every year?

Fleur de Sel Caramel and Cream Cheese Apple Galette

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 round pie dough
2 Granny Smith apples
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 teaspoon cinnamon
salt
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3-4 tablespoons Fleur de sel Caramel Sauce
1 egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Peel and core apples, then slice thinly.
Mix apples with 2 tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Beat cream cheese with 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar until smooth. Set aside.
Roll dough out on a large piece of parchment paper into a 12 inch circle.
Spread cream cheese onto dough leaving a 1 1/2 inch border.
Arrange apples in 2 concentric circles, overlapping as needed, on top of the cream cheese.
Warm up 4 tablespoons of the caramel sauce in a small bowl in the microwave. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce evenly over the apples.
Fold the dough over the edges of the apples.
Whisk egg in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon of water, then brush onto the dough.
Transfer parchment to a large baking sheet and bake for 25-35 minutes, until crust is golden and apples are tender.
Remove from the oven and drizzle with the rest of the caramel sauce.
Serve warm or room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream and more caramel sauce.

February 10, 2014

Caramel Pot de Creme

Carrie Zinnecker Desserts Caramel, cream, custard, dessert, pot de creme, sugar, water bath 1 Comment

I know. I just posted a pot de creme recipe. But this one is different. And more simple. And just as delicious. I just couldn’t help but share this one with you as well.

This pot de creme is called “butterscotch” on Epicurious, where I found this recipe, but it’s more caramel in flavor in my opinion. Which is fine by me. It’s less rich than the other pot de creme, making it much easier to enjoy. It’s delicious and creamy and a snap to prepare. It’s a great make ahead dessert, and one that would be wonderful for Valentine’s Day for those of you who love sweets but aren’t in to chocolate.

In the original recipe are two sugars, Muscovado and Demerara, that I’ve heard of but couldn’t find at the grocery store, so I simply used light and dark brown sugar. If you can find the others, go right ahead and use them, but the combination of sugars I used was perfect (and probably less expensive).

I did not have the same problem with these pots de creme as I had with the last ones. Each pot de creme was smooth and creamy on top. You do still bake them in a water bath, but there is no need to cover them. Which is nice for absent minded people like me who tend to forget stuff like that.

Top these with sweetened whipped cream, grated chocolate, berries or enjoy them on their own. Enjoy!

Caramel Pot de Creme

From Epicurious

Makes 6 4-ounce custards

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
sweetened whipped cream, berries, grated chocolate for topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Bring a teapot of water to a simmer to use for the water bath.
Combine dark brown sugar, cream and salt in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Do not let the mixture boil. Remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof bowl.
In another saucepan, bring water and light brown sugar to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue cooking until the mixture begins to brown and bubble, stirring constantly. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly pour caramel into the cream mixture, whisking to combine. Mixture may bubble and steam.
In a large bowl whisk egg yolks and vanilla, then add hot cream mixture in small amounts, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling the egg yolks. One you’ve added 1/3 of the mixture, stream in the rest and whisk well.
Pour custard through a sieve (to remove any cooked egg lumps) into the bowl that originally contained the cream.
Set 6 ramekins in baking dish then divide custard evenly among them. Place in the oven, then fill pan with hot water, about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Try to keep water from splashing into the custards.
Bake, uncovered for 40-45 minutes, until custards are set but centers are still wobbly.
Remove ramekins to a cooling rack and cool slightly. You can enjoy these at room temperature, or refrigerate them for a few hours.
Top with whipped cream, chocolate and/or berries.

December 9, 2013

Caramel Pecan Turtles with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt

Carrie Zinnecker candy, Chocolate, Desserts, Food Gifts candy, Caramel, Chocolate, Christmas, Food gifts, Ghirardelli melting wafers, pecans, sea salt 2 Comments

There is a story behind these tasty treats. This was my second batch. Not because the first was so delicious that it was eaten up before I could take any photos, though. The first batch was an “Eat at your own risk” kind of candy thanks to an overcooked caramel that could probably have taken a tooth out. I pride myself in being pretty good in the kitchen. I’m not afraid of recipes that require some skill because I think that I have pretty good kitchen skills. I know fancy cooking words and know the science behind some baking do’s and don’ts. My first time making this caramel was a humbling experience, to say the least. And we all need those experiences from time to time to keep us from thinking that we’re real good at something.

Some things to know before making these candies.

Lesson 1: Do not overcook your caramel! Be patient and attentive, watch it like a hawk! Candy is not forgiving.

Lesson 2: Go buy yourself a decent candy thermometer if you have any intention of ever making candy. It is a necessity.

Lesson 2: Use a heat proof spoon to avoid losing half of the plastic part of your spatula in the hot caramel.

Lesson 3: Use parchment on your pans to make removing the finished caramels a breeze.

Lesson 4: Have everything you need ready to go so that making the caramel and assembling the candies is quick and easy.

I found this recipe on a blog called Alaska from Scratch. It was my first time stumbling upon the site and it’s one I’ve now added to my blog reader. The only thing I did differently was to use a different chocolate. I was fortunate enough to come across Ghirardelli melting wafers at Target. I think I might have audibly gasped as I saw them on the shelf. It was a Christmas miracle! It is way better than candy bark. It hardens nicely, is easy to work with and actually tastes like chocolate. They have white chocolate too! Stock up. I know I’m going to.

Giving handmade gifts at Christmas is something I really love doing. Sometimes you know someone well enough to know they need a particular item, but other times you’re not sure what to get for someone and you don’t want to get them something they’re not going to use or that they’re going to throw out. Food is almost never a bad gift idea. It only takes up space for a short time, and the recipient is guaranteed to enjoy it. These candies are a great gift to give. Pack them into normal sized mason jars or cute baby ones if you’re giving them with something else or in a basket of other goodies. You could easily use walnuts or almonds instead of pecans. You could also make some with white chocolate and pack a few of each together.

The caramel recipe is fairly simple, but be sure to keep a watchful eye on it and stir is constantly. Make sure to have your pecans toasted and set up for topping before you even start the caramel. Getting the chocolate melted before you start the caramel is also a great way to make the process fast and smooth once the caramel is done. If you have another set of hands, set up a little assembly line. The caramel does begin to thicken up and harden after you remove it from the heat so it’s important to work quickly. If it does get too thick to drizzle onto the pecans, you can warm it (stirring constantly) over low heat until it thins a bit. I had extra caramel that I spread onto some parchment, let cool and cut into little pieces. The consistency was much different than the caramel on the candies since I’d warmed it again a couple times. Another example of how finicky candy can be even with just a little more cooking. It still tasted great, but wasn’t gooey like it should be.

The pecans are crunchy and delicious, the caramel is sweet, rich and gooey, the chocolate is nice and smooth and the little bit of salt on top is perfection. These are wonderful little treats. Enjoy!

Caramel Pecan Turtles with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt

From Alaska from Scratch

Ingredients

For the Caramel:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup honey
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

You also need:

2-3 cups whole pecan halves, toasted
Dark chocolate candy coating
Flaked sea salt

Directions

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or nonstick silicone mats.
Arrange pecans in clusters of 3, 2 next to each other and one on top, on the parchment. They shouldn’t be too close so that the caramel does not run together.
In a heavy saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter, sugar, honey, salt and condensed milk together, stirring occasionally.
You can begin to melt the chocolate in the microwave according to the package instructions while the caramel starts to cook.
Once everything has melted together increase the heat to medium high and attach your candy thermometer to the pan. Do not let the thermometer touch the bottom of the pan, you will not get a correct temperature reading. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly with a heat proof spoon.
The moment the temperature reaches 234°F, remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla.
Spoon the caramel onto each pecan cluster, just enough to coat, a little more than a teaspoon. If at first the caramel seems too runny, just stir and let it cool and thicken slightly. Resit the urge to cook it any longer!
Finish melting the chocolate (or maybe someone was doing this for you while you did the caramel!) then spoon the melted chocolate on top of the caramel. Sprinkle each with a little sea salt and allow to set completely before eating or packaging up to give as gifts.

October 23, 2010

Pumpkin Caramel Oat Bars

Carrie Zinnecker Brownies and Bars, Desserts bar cookies, Caramel, fall, oats, Pumpkin 1 Comment

I was tempted to not even post this recipe since these bars did not photograph very well. But Ben brought some of the more attractive specimens up to work, and apparently they were devoured within an hour. Some people at work asked for the recipe, and Ben assured them I would be posting on the blog. So, despite the not so great photo, here they are. These are tasty. Pretty messy, and a little difficult to eat and cut, but oh so tasty.

This recipe is from the McCormick website, and I did use mostly McCormick spices. Here is the link. My vanilla was from Belize (thanks, Kate!) and my cinnamon was….not really sure where this container of ground cinnamon came from now that I think about it. Anyway, all the spices make this a dessert that makes your entire house smell delicious. I might have said this before, but I love fall baking. Instead of using caramels that require a lot of tedious unwrapping I used those caramel pieces that come with the wooden sticks for making caramel apples. Something I just do not get. Caramel apples. Who really eats those things? It seems like too much work.

My bars did not cut out very neatly. I might have needed to bake them a little longer. I also think it would help to press the crumb topping into the caramel layer so that the crumbs don’t fall off the bars when they’re cut. Regardless of looks though, these are quite good. Enjoy! (more…)

June 17, 2010

Caramel Banana Oat Muffins

Carrie Zinnecker Breads and Muffins, Breakfast banana, Caramel, muffins, oats 0 Comments

If you are anything like me, when you look in your freezer you might see about a dozen or so frozen black bananas. When bananas go bad in my house I either make banana bread if I have the time, or I stick them in the freezer. This pile of frozen bananas adds up quickly. Before I made these muffins I had 16 frozen bananas!

I pulled out 3 bananas from my stash and made these muffins earlier this week. The recipe is from allrecipes.com. Here is the link.

To the original recipe I added a cup of caramel pieces and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. I lowered the oven temperature from 400 F to 375 F. My batch of muffin batter made more than enough for 12 muffins. I was able to make an additional 8 mini muffins, so maybe 16 regular sized muffins total. Everything else is just as it is in the original recipe.

The oats add a nice texture, and the caramel pieces bring in some extra delicious sweetness. Some of the caramel pieces sunk to the bottom of the muffins, so some of them were hard to remove from the pan. Be sure to grease your pan and paper well! These muffins are OK at room temperature, but I recommend warming them in the microwave or toaster oven.

Caramel Banana Oat Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup caramel pieces

Directions

Combine flour, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla, then mix in the sugar.
Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined.
Fold in caramel pieces.
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, spray with cooking spray, and divide the batter among them. You may have extra batter to make a few more muffins.
Bake at 375 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

March 2, 2010

Chocoflan Cake

Carrie Zinnecker Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts cake, Caramel, Chocolate, dessert, flan, Mexican, pecans 1 Comment

My mom sent this recipe to me. I discovered in talking with her today that the reason she sent it to me is because she was too scared to try it out herself. I have become the recipe guinea pig, and I am totally OK with that.

There’s always a little bit of uncertainty when trying a new recipe and it helps to know that someone else has tried it with good results. It really helps to know that someone you know and trust has tried it. I am often skeptical of some online reviews because I don’t know if the people writing the reviews are clueless in the kitchen and totally botched a perfectly good recipe, OR if the person likes anything they eat because they lack good taste and taste buds. So, send me your iffy recipes and I will try them and give you my honest opinion…if that means anything.

This cake is half chocolate cake and half flan. Well, more like 60% chocolate cake and 40% flan. Regardless, chocolate cake + flan = crazy delicious. A bundt pan is filled with a thin layer of cajeta, topped with a chocolate cake batter and finished off with a flan type mixture that makes it way down to the bottom of the pan during the baking process. This creates the layer of creamy flan on top of the cake which when inverted is topped with the sweet and decadent cajeta.

I topped the finished cake with toasted pecans. It could be served with some sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. This cake was a hit at the small group we had at our house last night. It was such a hit that we had a mere slice left over. (more…)

January 19, 2010

Caramel Sauce

Carrie Zinnecker Dessert Sauce, Desserts Caramel, ice cream, sauce, sugar 2 Comments

When you describe something as being “vanilla” this may mean it is plain and simple, or it may be a more negative description meaning that something is ordinary, conventional or boring.

I like vanilla ice cream, but sometimes it can be so very…vanilla. I recently bought a half gallon of Bluebell Vanilla Bean ice cream instead of my usual purchase of Homemade Vanilla. Homemade Vanilla is a vanilla ice cream that can be eaten end enjoyed plain. The Vanilla Bean, in my opinion, cannot. I needed something to make it a little more interesting. Something to kick it up a notch. Chocolate syrup was not going to do it for me. I found this recipe for caramel sauce on Simply Recipes, and it was terrific.

I had all the ingredients (there are only three!) and it didn’t take long at all. The only part that takes any time is waiting for the sugar to melt. Everything else goes extremely quickly. So, heed the advice in the recipe and have everything ready to go before you start. And use a pan with high sides. The cream definitely makes the sugar mixture spatter, and it is hot. Be careful.

My caramel sauce was pretty dark, but very delicious. I poured it warm over some vanilla ice cream the night I made it and it was perfect. I kept the rest in the fridge for a day or so. When I wanted some more, I just scooped a spoonful out of the jar and heated it in the microwave. Easy-peasy.

Here is a link to the recipe.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup of sugar
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

First, before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go – the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. Making caramel is a fast process that cannot wait for hunting around for ingredients. If you don’t work fast, the sugar will burn. Safety first – make sure there are no children under foot and you may want to wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water.
Heat sugar on moderately high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan. As the sugar begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as the sugar comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. Note that this recipe works best if you are using a thick-bottomed pan. If you find that you end up burning some of the sugar before the rest of it is melted, the next time you attempt it, add a half cup of water to the sugar at the beginning of the process, this will help the sugar to cook more evenly, though it will take longer as the water will need to evaporate before the sugar will caramelize.
As soon as all of the sugar crystals have melted (the liquid sugar should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted.
Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note than when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. This is why you must use a pan that is at least 2-quarts (preferably 3-quarts) big. (Check here for an explanation of why adding the cream makes the mixture bubble up so much.)
Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. (Remember to use pot holders when handling the jar filled with hot caramel sauce.) Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Warm before serving.

Makes a little over one cup of sauce.

August 30, 2009

Daring Bakers: Dobos Torte

Carrie Zinnecker Cakes, Chocolate, Daring Bakers, Desserts Caramel, Chocolate, Daring Bakers, dessert, Dobos, Sponge Cake 3 Comments

The August 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Angela of A Spoonful of Sugar and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella. They chose the spectacular Dobos Torte based on a recipe from Rick Rodgers’ cookbook Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Caffés of Vienna, Budapest, and Prague.

dobos

This challenge really snuck up on me. I guess I could blame it on the fact that last week was my first week of school, but really I am just a little forgetful sometimes and I have a bad habit of putting things off. This week was really too busy to make this cake, so I had to wait until yesterday. I have never baked and assembled a cake this involved so quickly! It still took me a while, about 3 hours start to finish. This is an accomplishment, in my opinion, especially when you consider the 6 sponge cake layers, chocolate buttercream, the caramel coated triangle cake pieces and assembly.

(more…)