Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Keri's Chocolate Coma x 3

I had a blast baking with my cousin Keri. Normally my dad and I are the ones making all of the latkes (potato pancakes) but this year I also got to help Keri with making a salted carmel.  Although we had a problem with the candy thermometer, the carmel came out delicious. The cupcakes were divine, chocolate cake filled with salted carmel and topped with dark chocolate butter cream. I could have devoured more than a few cupcakes, but I was good only ate 1 cupcake along with 1 piece of candy and 2 of Keri's chocolate covered coconut macaroons (recipe to follow).
Keri 





We all agreed that the cupcakes were delicious the first day, but they were even more rich and gooey on the second day.  I really can believe Keri pulled these awesome cupcakes off with a broken candy thermometer and no piping bags.   Enjoy these sinfully delicious cupcakes and macaroons!




Martha Stewart's Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Adapted from Way More than 52 Cupcakes



 The Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups 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 pure vanilla extract 
3/4 cup warm water 

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line mini muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and the water; beat until smooth and combined.

Spoon the batter into liners about two-thirds full. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Transfer tins to wire racks and allow to cool for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 1 month in air tight containers.

To finish, use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece (about 1/2 inch deep) from the center of each cupcake and throw away the pieces. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons warm Salted Caramel Filling into each hollowed-out cupcake. You will notice the caramel will sink into the cupcake a little, just fill it up a bit more. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over filling.

I recommend using a disposable piping bag, but we had to use our imaginations and make due with a gallon Ziploc baggie.
Use a pastry bag with a medium open-star tip  and pipe Dark Chocolate Frosting onto each cupcake, swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Garnish each cupcake with a pinch of sea salt. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are filled and frosted. Store at room temperature in airtight containers - do not refrigerate. Enjoy!

The beautiful chocolate cupcakes
Salted Caramel Filling:
2 1/2 cups sugar 
2/3 cup water 
1 tablespoon light corn syrup 
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, preferably fleur de sel 

Heat sugar with the water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high, stirring occasionally, until syrup is clear; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan and stop stirring.

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 just reaches 360°F. Remove room heat and slowly pour in cream; stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt.
Use immediately; if caramel begins to harden reheat gently until pourable.

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 (4 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 1/2 pounds best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Combine cocoa and boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved.
With electric mixer on medium-high, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in the cocoa mixture. 

Frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month in an air tight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth again.

Keri making up candy with leftover salted carmel and chocolate frosting

Keri's Candy
Pour 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salted carmel into mini muffin cups or candy cups. Pipe 1 teaspoon of Dark Chocolate Frosting over the semi-hardened carmel. Sprinkle with sea salt and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Warm to room temperature before serving for a delicious and gooey candy.





Keri's Chocolate Covered Macaroons
Recipe from Weight Watchers
Makes 32 macaroons

3 large egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups package shredded coconut, unsweetened
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small bits

Preheat the oven to 350˚F  Line one or two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites with sugar. Add in vanilla and coconut and stir to combine.  Scoop up a level tablespoon of batter and form into a ball with your hands, repeat with remaining batter. Place each ball about 1-inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.

Bake until tops start to turn light tan, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove cookies to a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

Place chocolate in a double boiler or heavy pot: melt over low heat, stirring occasionally (do not allow to burn) Keep chocolate warm and pliable as you dip tops of cookies into chocolate. Place dipped cookies on a metal tray evenly spread apart so they are not touching. Freeze until chocolate sets, about 20 to 30 minutes. 

1 macaroon is 2 points (points plus)

Keri's Note: I couldn't find unsweetened coconut. So I used the sweetened coconut and I cut the sugar the recipe calls for in half)

2 comments:

  1. Mmh...they look absolutely delicious!
    Great blog you have here! Will snoop around a bit!
    Thanks for the visit!
    Hugs,
    Chrissy xxx

    ReplyDelete


Hello and thanks for visiting Calamity Kate Kitchen. I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipes and stories to leave a comment! Please excuse our word verification, but lots of spammers have been leaving their comments and those comments are not appropriate. Anyways, thanks for stopping by and I can't wait to read your comments!
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