Sweet Treats For National Caramel Day 2017

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
2. Make the crust: Stir the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling and streusel.
3. Make the apple filling: Combine the sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until all of the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
4. Make the streusel: Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or two forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
5. Remove the crust from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350°F (177°C). Evenly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. It will look like there are too many apple slices, so layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Sprinkle the apple layer with streusel and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Lift the foil or parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. I usually cut them into 16 smaller bars, but you can cut them into 12 larger bars. Once cut, drizzle some salted caramel sauce on top of each. These apple pie bars can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or even cold.

Make ahead tip: The bars will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can freeze the bars for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving and drizzling with caramel.

Chocolate Caramel And Rose Tart, Wilde Orchard

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry

• 350g flour
• 125g butter (cold diced)
• 125g sugar
• 2 eggs + 1 yolk
• pinch of salt

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 250ml whipping cream
• 200g chocolate 60%
• 25g liquid glucose
• 50g butter diced

For the Salted Caramel

• 1 tin caramel condensed milk
• 1 tbsp sea salt

METHOD

For the pastry:

1. Measure flour into a medium mixing bowl
2. Rub cold butter through the flour until the mixture is pea sized. You can do this in a food processor.
3. Add the sugar and pinch of salt and mix to combine.
4. Add the eggs and yolk. Mix gently. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until dough comes together.
5. Cling film and rest for 20 minutes in the fridge.
6. Roll pastry out onto lightly floured surface and roll to 1 cm thick.
7. Line your greased tart tin. I used a 34 cm rectangle tart tin.
8. Blind bake at 180c for 15 minutes. Brush the pastry shell with egg wash and return to the oven for a few more minutes, until golden and crisp.
9. In a medium bowl mix the caramel condensed milk with the sea salt. Spread a layer of caramel on the tart base.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

1. Measure the cream, chocolate, and glucose into a medium pan.
2. Place over a low to medium heat until melted.
3. Remove from the heat and add the butter a bit at a time until incorporated.
4. Pour into your prepared and cooled tart shell.
5. Place in the fridge to set.
6. Scatter with dried rose petals.

Salted Caramel Filled Molten Chocolate Cakes, A Cup Of Jo

For the Salted Caramel:

• 1/3 cup (65 g.) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. agave syrup, honey or corn syrup
• 1/4 cup (60 ml.) water
• 1/3 cup (80 ml.) heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. flaky salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  (Alternatively, you can skip making the caramel: take 6 store-bought salted caramels and poke one into the batter in each ramekin after chilling.)

For the Cakes:

• 2/3 cup (100 g.) bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
• 1/4 cup (55 g.) unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp. (30 g.) all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup (65 g.) granulated sugar

For the ramekins:

• 2 tbsp. softened butter and 2 tbsp. cocoa powder

Optional: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve.

METHOD

1. In a deep saucepan, heat the first three caramel ingredients, stirring just until the sugar dissolves.
2. Continue to cook over a medium-high heat, swirling the pan often (don’t use the spoon to stir the mixture as this can cause crystallisation in the caramel) until the mixture becomes golden.
3. Remove from the heat and immediately add the cream – stand back for a second as the mixture will bubble up.
4. Stir in the cream until completely combined, then add the salt and vanilla extract. Set the caramel aside to cool.
5. Butter six, 4-oz ramekins and dust with the cocoa powder, shaking out any excess.
6. In a small saucepan, heat the chocolate and butter together on low, stirring until just melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour and salt until smooth.
7. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat using an electric whisk whilst gradually adding the sugar until pale.
8. Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and gently fold together using a rubber spatula.
9. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and chill for at least 30 minutes (or up to 5 hours, if making in advance).
10. Ten minutes before you’re ready to bake the cakes, preheat your oven to 350 F.
11. Spoon a heaped teaspoon of the cooled caramel into the center of each ramekin and push it down gently into the cake mixture. Place the ramekins onto a small baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes.
12. Loosen the edges of the cakes with a knife and turn out onto individual plates. Serve immediately with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Check out Cup of Jo for step-by-step photos

Honey Nut Cornflake And Caramel Bars, Olive Magazine

INGREDIENTS

• salted butter 200g
• Hobnobs 200g, whizzed in a food processor to fine crumbs
• honey nut cornflakes 125g, plus a handful more for topping
• Carnation caramel 397g tin
• smooth peanut butter 100g
• golden caster sugar 100g
• golden syrup 2 tbsp
• dark chocolate 250g, broken into chunks

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line a 22cm square tin with baking paper. Melt 100g of the butter and stir through with the Hobnob crumbs and the cornflakes, crushing them slightly. Push the mixture into the base of the tin with the back of a wooden spoon to create a firm, flat base. Bake for 10 minutes on a high shelf, then cool completely.
2. Meanwhile put the caramel, the remaining 100g butter, peanut butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan and boil for 6-8 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t catch on the bottom. When it’s thick and a rich fudge brown colour, pour all over the base. Leave to cool, then pop in the fridge to chill for another hour or until set (it won’t set completely hard).
3. Put the chocolate chunks into a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and melt. Cool off the heat for a couple of minutes, then drizzle over the top of the cooled caramel layer and tilt to cover evenly. Leave for another couple of minutes to partially set, then sprinkle over a few more honey nut cornflakes and leave to completely set somewhere cool or in the fridge. Slice into squares.