Chocolate Caramel Nut Cake Food

SALTED CARAMEL MILK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Put your chocolates in a big bowl. Put the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and bring up to a boil. As soon that happens, stop stirring and let it boil until it turns an amber color, 8 to 10 minutes or so. (If you think that it needs another stir, brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush, and stir the entire mixture, picking up the pot itself by the handle, being careful not to touch the caramel or else it could crystallize.) Once the mixture reaches that dark amber color, turn the heat down. Stand back from the pot and add the cream very slowly, stirring with a heatproof spatula. (If you are nervous about the steam, wear a kitchen glove to protect your hand.) Continue to stir until all is incorporated. Once the mixture is smooth, stir in the fine salt. Take off the heat and pour the caramel over the bowl of chocolate. Whisk to combine, making sure all the chocolate melts. Pop in the fridge for about 1 hour until completely chilled.
• Take the frosting out of the fridge and beat it with a hand mixer just until it becomes spreadable. Add the butter in pieces and mix until it's all combined. Pop back into the refrigerator for another hour.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake platter, flat-side up. (You want the cake flat-side up so when you get into it you'll have nice and even layers.) Evenly spread 2 cups of the frosting over the top. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, then put the other cake layer on top, flat-side up. Spread the rest of the frosting over the top and on the sides of the cake. Sprinkle the top with more salt flakes.
• Put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (9 by 2-inch) nonstick round cake pans. Line the bottom of each with a round of parchment paper, and then butter the paper.
• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together onto parchment paper. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 4 or 5 minutes. Add your eggs, 1 at a time, mixing until completely incorporated before adding each additional egg. Mix in the chocolate and vanilla, making sure to combine really well. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, in 3 batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Make sure to let it mix thoroughly.
• Pour half the batter in each pan and spread it evenly with a spatula or butter knife. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 25 minutes. Remove the pans to racks and allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes or so. Loosen the edges of the cake from the pan with a knife, then turn them onto the racks. Remove the paper and let the cakes completely cool.

UTTERLY NUTTERLY CARAMEL LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line 2 x 20cm loose-bottomed Victoria sandwich cake tins with baking parchment, then grease one of the tins over the top of the parchment (this will help to prevent the caramel-nut topping from sticking when you turn it out). Tip the nuts into a frying pan and toast over a medium heat until golden. Add 50g of the butter, 50g sugar, the golden syrup and a good pinch of salt. Stir until the butter has melted, then bubble for 2 mins until the buttery sauce is golden brown - don't let it bubble for too long or the topping will set hard once cooled. Tip into the cake tin with the greased parchment and smooth over. Leave to cool while you make the cake.
• Tip the remaining butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the flour, almonds, baking powder, 1⁄2 tsp salt, almond extract and milk, and mix again until just combined. Divide the cake mixture between the tins and smooth over the surface. Bake for 25 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 mins, then flip out onto a wire rack and remove the parchment. Allow to cool completely.
• Whisk the cream and 2 tbsp of the caramel until softly whipped and just holding its shape. To assemble the cake, place the plain cake on a plate or stand. Top with the whipped cream, swirling it out towards the edges. Drizzle over the remaining caramel (give it a good mix first to loosen it), letting it dribble down the sides. Top with the remaining sponge, nutty-side up. Serve within 1 day, or store in fridge for 3 days, removing it from the fridge 10 mins before serving.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease 2 x 23cm loose-bottom cake tins and line with a circle of baking parchment. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition, then add the baking powder, cocoa and a third of the flour. Mix well to combine, then stir in half the soured cream. Alternating between adding the flour and soured cream, mix everything until just combined. Spoon into the prepared tins, then smooth over the surface with a spoon.
• Bake for 30 mins or until the cakes are firm to touch and a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 mins, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
• When you're ready to serve, whip the double cream with 2 tbsp Dulce de leche until soft peaks form. Place 1 cake on a serving plate and spread with half the cream, then drizzle over the remaining Dulce de leche. Top with the other cake, then spread the remaining cream on top. Sprinkle with the chocolate. Chill until ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL-NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for fluted tube, dark or nonstick pan). Grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, butter and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan.
• Bake 46 to 54 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Remove from pan to plate. Cool 10 minutes. Prick top of warm cake several times with fork; spread caramel topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with nuts. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Store covered.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL NUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, cream the 3/4 cup of sugar and cream cheese together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Stir in chopped candy bar, and pour into baked crust.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Let cool and carefully remove the springform pans side.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL NUT CAKE II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour two 9 inch square cake pans.
• In the top of a double boiler, combine the cut up candy bars, water, and peanut butter. Heat and a stir until well melted and blended. Set mixture aside to cool.
• Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine thoroughly. Gradually add the sugar and beat in the 4 unbeaten egg yolks, vanilla, and cooled candy bar mixture. Mix until smooth and add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the remaining 1 cup of buttermilk, mix only until just blended. Gently fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cake rack to finish cooling. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

CHOCOLATE CARAMEL-CREME CANDY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch square cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the melted butter, buttermilk, egg, vanilla and 1/2 cup water together in another bowl until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until just combined. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through cooking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Discard the parchment paper and flip the cakes right side up again. Let the cakes cool completely.
• Make the caramel creme: Heat 1/2 cup sugar in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until it turns dark amber in color, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the heavy cream (mixture will bubble up). When the bubbles subside, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the salt and stir until both dissolve in the caramel. Scrape the caramel into the bowl of a food processor and let cool completely.
• Combine the gelatin with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to soften. Heat the gelatin in the microwave until it melts completely, about 10 seconds, stirring to dissolve. Add the gelatin mixture, cream cheese and sour cream to the food processor and process until smooth. Scrape the caramel creme filling into a bowl and refrigerate, checking every 5 minutes, until it is just thick enough to spread, 5 to 15 minutes. (Do not let the filling firm up too much.) Before layering the cake, give the mixture a good whisking to aerate it slightly. This will make for a lighter texture.
• Place one cake on a cake stand and pile the caramel filling in the center, spreading it in a thick layer almost to the edge. Top with the remaining cake, aligning the layers directly on top of each other so the cake does not lean. Refrigerate the assembled cake for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate, shaking the pan gently to submerge it. Allow the pan to stand, off the heat, for 3 minutes to melt the chocolate. Whisk the ganache until smooth, then refrigerate until it is just thick enough to spread (like mayonnaise), about 15 minutes. (Do not let the ganache harden too much.)
• Stir the ganache again and scoop it on top of the cake, spreading it over the top and sides. Refrigerate the cake until the ganache is set, at least 2 hours or overnight.

CARAMEL NUT TORTE

Steps:

• Line two 6-in. round baking pans with parchment; coat with cooking spray. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Set aside 1 tablespoon. Add cider, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar to remaining yolks. , In another bowl, beat egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold a fourth of the whites into batter; then fold in remaining whites. Fold in crumbs and almonds., Gently spoon into prepared pans. Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely., In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, butter and 2 tablespoons cider. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir a small amount into reserved yolk; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Cool., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons caramel sauce until smooth. Spread over 1 cake; top with remaining cake. Add remaining cider to remaining caramel sauce to achieve drizzling consistency., Beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Frost top and sides of cake. Drizzle with caramel sauce.

FAVORITE CHOCOLATE-CARAMEL-NUT BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cook caramels and 1/3 cup milk in saucepan on low heat 5 to 7 min. or until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
• Combine cake mix, butter and remaining milk; press half onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 10 min.
• Sprinkle with 1 cup nuts and 1/2 cup chopped chocolate. Drizzle with caramel sauce; carefully spread to edges of pan. Top with teaspoonfuls of the remaining cake mix mixture; press gently into caramel sauce with back of spoon. Sprinkle with remaining nuts and chocolate.
• Bake 18 min. or until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

CHOCOLATE-NUT CARAMEL TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Unroll pastry into a 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Press onto bottom and up sides of pan; trim pastry even with edge (discard trimmed pastry or save for another use). Generously prick bottom of crust with a fork. Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack., Reserve 2 tablespoons Nutella for topping; spread remaining Nutella into cooled crust. In a small saucepan, combine caramels and cream; cook over medium-low heat until blended, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in macadamia nuts. Spread evenly over Nutella., In a microwave, heat reserved Nutella until warmed; drizzle over filling. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. If desired, serve with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE DOUBLE NUT CARAMEL LADYFINGER TORTE (NO BAKE)

Steps:

• Prepare a 9-inch springform baking pan.
• Microwave chocolate chips on HIGH until melted, stirring every 30 seconds; cool 5 minutes and set aside.
• Split the ladyfingers, then stand the halves around the edges of the 9-inch springform pan (placing the rounded sides of ladyfingers against the pan).
• Line the bottom of the pan with the remaining ladyfingers (reserving any remaining ones for other uses).
• Spread the Nutella spread evenly over the ladyfingers on the bottom of the pan.
• Cook the caramels and 1/3 cup whipping cream in a medium heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly JUST until melted; remove from heat and stir in chopped pecans until coated.
• Spoon the caramel/nut mixture evenly over the Nutella spread in the pan.
• In a medium bowl beat 1/3 cup confectioners sugar with softened cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy about 4 minutes) then add in the Creme de Cacao; beat until blended, then add in the melted chocolate chips.
• Beat the remaining 2 cups whipping cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until stiff; fold into the cream cheese mixture, then spoon evenly over the caramel mixture in the pan.
• Shave the baking squares using a veggie peeler evenly on top, then sprinkle with about 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar (or to taste).
• Chill for 3 hours before serving.
• Delicious!

CHOCOLATE NUT UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F and lightly butter the sides of a 9"x2" round cake pan.
• To make caramel:.
• In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil and pour into the prepared pan, swirling to coat the bottom evenly. Scatter in the nuts evenly and gently press them inches.
• To make the cake:.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the sugar; continue beating until fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the butter and mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Add the buttermilk and mix until just blended. Lightly mix in the remaining flour. Scoop spoonfuls of batter onto the nuts and gently spread the batter evenly in the pan. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to settle the ingredients.
• Bake until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
• Immediately run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan. Set a flat serving plate on top of the pan and invert the cake. Let the inverted pan rest for about 3 minutes to let the topping settle. Gently remove the pan and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

CARAMEL-NUT TART WITH MILK CHOCOLATE AND COGNAC CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Line the tart pan with the pâte sucrée according to page 196. Prick the bottom with a fork and line it with a few open and fanned out coffee filters or a piece of parchment paper. Fill the lined tart shell with beans or pie weights, and bake 15 minutes, until set. Take the tart out of the oven, and carefully lift out the paper and beans. Return the tart to the oven, and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is an even golden brown. Set the tart on a rack to cool completely.
• Spread the nuts on a baking sheet (keep each type separate) and toast 8 to 12 minutes, until they're golden brown and smell nutty. Some will toast more quickly than others, so watch them carefully and remove the toasted nuts as needed.
• Place the sugar and 1 cup water in a very clean medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan. Over medium-high heat, cook the sugar, shaking the pan often to stir-don't use a utensil to stir, as it could cause the sugar to crystallize. Continue cooking and swirling the pan until the caramel is a deep golden brown, just beyond the soft-crack stage (about 310°F on a candy thermometer). It should be a nice dark color, but not burned.
• Remove from the heat, and slowly whisk in 2/3 cup cream, stirring with the whisk the entire time, until the caramel is smooth and the cream is fully incorporated. (Be aware that the caramel will foam up as you add the cream. It's very hot, so be careful and pour slowly.) Allow to cool a few minutes. Place the nuts and honey in a bowl. Pour the caramel over them, and stir to combine well. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pour the mixture into the baked tart shell, to just below the rim. It's important not to overfill the crust. Refrigerate the tart at least 2 hours.
• Melt the milk chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat, and stir in 1/3 cup water. Just before serving, whip 1 cup cream and the cognac to soft peaks in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Slice the tart in half, and cut one half into twelve thin slices. Refrigerate the rest for leftover snacking. Place one slice at the center of each of six plates. Prop up a second slice on top of the first, setting it at an angle and letting the pointed end of the slice rest on the plate. Continue with the remaining slices. Garnish each with three dollops of the cognac cream, and drizzle the milk chocolate across the tart.
• Note
• The tricky part to this dessert is making the caramel filling. If it cooks too long, it will taste bitter; and if it doesn't cook long enough, it won't achieve that chewy consistency.